


Huge Revolution: Black Whirlwind

by lalunaticscribe



Series: Revolution [5]
Category: One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: Crazy monsters, Gen, Grand Line is weird, Trip to another world, overprotective monsters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-18
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-12 09:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/489468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalunaticscribe/pseuds/lalunaticscribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In search of the legendary archipelago of Messiah Draconis within the New World, what adventures will the Strawhats and their newest members go through? Written under Creative Commons. Ace not dead, refer to Restructer Revolution and Huge Revolution, will involve 5Ds characters and Duels.</p><p>Filler arc for Huge Revolution</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Black Thunder

_**Huge Revolution: Black Whirlwind**_

_**An LLS Production**_

* * *

**Prologue: Black Thunder**

"Let us now observe a moment of silence for him."

The third World Racing Grand Prix was being held in Rome, and though it was the height of the Italian summer, Crow Hogan, second strongest Duellist of the Riding Duel leagues, still felt chills at the phrase.

"He was a great Duellist, and the Duelling committee will never forget his legacy," the MC announced once two minutes of deathly silence were up. "The memory of Yusei Fudo, shall never be forgotten."

No kidding. Mourning still went on during the anniversary of the accident, when the Momentum building would become flooded with mourning wreaths and flowers and solemn faces for one day of the year in Neo Domino City. Even _Jack_ reserved a black armband for the day.

Despite Crow's objections that Yusei was still alive and potentially amnesiac somewhere, two years had passed and the chances were fading. Fakes that tried to crawl out of the woodwork soon faced either his own fists, or Jack's, or worse, the entire city of Neo Domino. Neo Domino had recovered due to its saviour and were not about to let anyone tarnish his memory, as evidenced by the only known series of lynching done within the Japanese islands in recent memory. Each day that passed brought back the possibility that Yusei was... never coming back.

"When we split up, we thought we would see each other again," Crow murmured quietly as he got ready to race, the Blackbird ready as ever. "We did... at your funeral... Yusei... that dragon took you... but I know that if you're alive... give us a sign, please..."

" _And... start!_ " The MC announced. "There goes Crow the Bullet, twice as fast as ever on the track! The only one faster must be Jack Atlas, but then even he's hard-pressed to keep up with our very own Blackbird!"

The emcee was spared the next few words as tremors shook the ground. " _Oh my, an earthquake. Everyone please evacuate the stadium in a calm and- Riders, please stop!_ "

The Blackbird swerved as it turned a corner, almost colliding with the upcoming wall.

" _AAHHHHH_!" Crow screamed, though he would probably argue it as a manly scream completely warranted by the situation. " _I don't wanna die-!_ "

A flash of eldritch red, the roar of an otherworldly being, and Crow found himself hurtling through empty space and darkness.

* * *

" _Yuseiiiiiiiiiii_!"

Said mechanic and handyman of the Straw Hat Pirates, Fudo Yusei, froze, in the middle of the reparations of the Thousand Sunny's _Kurosai FR-U IV_. "Y- Yes?"

Feared captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, bounty of four hundred million Beli, infamous rookie pirate as the only one known to break _in_ to the Underwater Prison Impel Down and live to tell the tale, 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy, poked his head under the giant black motorcycle in question. "Come on! You have to show us more of the cool monsters!"

"Luffy San," Yusei sighed, dragging himself out from under the giant motorcycle. "I-"

"Rose Tentacles, sic'em!" Aki's voice called as explosions sounded from the deck.

In the engineering room, the wrench in his hand dropped with a clatter. " _What was that_?"

"Dammit, you crazy woman!" a male voice yelled. "Quit throwing those petals at me!"

"Oh, it's Zoro versus Aki!" Luffy cheered. "C'mon, let's go see!"

"Stop wrecking Sunny!" the shipwright of the Straw Hats -although considering that he was a man of many building talents, perhaps engineer was a better term- 'Cyborg' Franky, was yelling at both sheepish contestants and one Rose monster. "Repairs don't come free, ya know!"

"That monster's strong," the swordsman and unofficial first mate 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro growled, hefting all his swords. "Come at me."

"He asked for it," the red-haired beauty of the second doctor and Yusei's friend, 'Black Rose Witch' Izayoi Aki was unrepentant.

"Ah, Yusei," the navigator 'Cat Burglar' Nami called as the mechanic walked out of the workshop onto the deck with the captain in tow. Papers scattered around her as she scribbled with a quill pen onto paper. "Are you sure that this island exists? I can't find any records of it, and Ace doesn't remember an island like that either."

"The New World isn't fully explored, but who knows," Portgas D. Ace, infamous pirate known as the 'Fire Fist', brother of Luffy, sat across the Straw Hat navigator, feet on the table between them and currently halfway through a large sandwich Yusei supposed was a speciality food of Sanji's to keep either D brother occupied. "Still... how do you know it exists?"

"Ace San, you followed me for two years around the Grand Line to find monsters," Yusei replied. "I found out from one of them. Still, if Nami San can't find a way to Kurohane Island it's fine."

"Kurohane Island?" the sniper 'Sogeking' Usopp echoed, in the middle of tinkering with some device. "What exactly is there?"

"Where is it?" the first doctor and food supply 'Cotton Candy Lover' Tony Tony Chopper followed up. "Why do you want to go there?"

"Oi, marimo, don't harass a lady!" the cook 'Black Leg' Sanji kicked at Zoro. "here's your drink, Aki-sensei~! Please don't hesitate to call for this knight of love! Nami Swan~! Your tea with the sweetness of my passion~!"

"Yes, yes," Nami sighed. "Bring some to Robin as well, will you, Sanji Kun?"

"Nami San is so caring! Robin Chwan~!" Sanji sang, spinning off to to find the archaeologist 'Demon Child' Nico Robin in the crow's nest.

"Yohohoho! Yusei Kun has a place in the New World to visit?" the musician and skeleton-with-afro of the crew 'Musician' Brook chuckled, the trappings of his stint as a musical star still with him.

"Well, amongst the spirits we found, we heard of a place where they're all centred at in the New World," Yusei elaborated. "That place is an archipelago of interconnected islands, Messiah Draconis. On that archipelago where humans cannot go, maybe... I can find something there."

"Messiah Draconis?" Nami echoed. "I've never seen that on my maps... I've never even heard of such a thing!"

"First time I've heard of this too," Aki replied, folding away her DuelDisk. At her feet lay Zoro, tangled up in rapidly dissolving rose vines. "So, we're going to Messiah Draconis?"

"I've finished my shift," the archaeologist climbed down the mast of the crow's nest, a tray of empty dishes and cups balanced on a third hand sprouting from the mast and being handed down to a whole series of hands below it due to her _Hana Hana_ powers. "Messiah Draconis?"

"Robin, have you heard of it?" Nami turned to her.

"Yes. It's a mystical archipelago said to drift between dimensions," Robin answered. "Old folk-tales say that Messiah Draconis is an island where spirits seek sanctuary, and this haven is jealously protected by a large red dragon and its servants. Folk-tales say that no humans are ever allowed on the island, save for a special privileged few chosen by the spirits themselves or by fate."

"Aside from those few, others, be they human, Fishman or otherwise..." Brook loomed. "They will be killed and dragged into the spirit world forever!"

"EEEEEHHHH!" Usopp and Chopper shivered.

"I suddenly have that 'I can't go to Kurohane Island' disease..." Usopp whimpered.

"Eh? Really, Usopp?" Chopper exclaimed.

"Sounds fun!" Luffy grinned. "Set sail! For Kurohane Island!"

"Don't anyhow decide our course!" Nami punched the captain.

"Yohohoho, Messiah Draconis..." Brook considered. "It's a name in an old language, right, Robin San? By the way... may I-?"

"Messiah Draconis is indeed words of an old language," Robin agreed, interrupting the musician's request. "It means 'Saviour Dragon', from an old civilisation that believed themselves on the brink of destruction but were saved by a dragon."

"A dragon..." Usopp murmured.

"Cool!" Luffy yelled. "I wanna meet the good dragon! To Kurohane Island!"

"Oi!" Nami hit him again. "We don't know where it is! How are we supposed to get to it?"

"Heh, meanie," Luffy muttered. "Hey, Yusei! Maybe Stardust knows where it is!"

"Stardust? You mean that huge white dragon that barged into Marineford behind Yusei?" Franky asked.

"No good, the New World is too confusing to Stardust and they can't identify landmarks," Yusei shook his head. "It's okay if we can't go there. After all, sailing into another world isn't very fun."

"No way!" Luffy insisted. "I say we're going there, so we're going there! Yusei wants to go there, so we're going there! Captain's orders!"

Nami slapped her forehead. "If we could, we'll be on our way already! It's not like someone's going to fall from the sky!"

Usopp, already bored of the navigator chewing out the captain, aimed a pellet at the tiny dots in the sky that meant birds. " _Hissatsu: Pachinko Boshi!_ "

The thing hit true... and Usopp realised that the dot was getting bigger, enough to see the outline of wings, claws and... arms?

"Something's falling from the sky!" was his yell before it landed on him.

* * *

Far above in the skies, large wings spread and rode the winds as two beings conversed. "You sure it's them, caw?"

"Ra if I know!" the other winged being answered. "Oh, look... that shiny, shiny aura... starlight...?"

"Shiny... that's Yusei-sama! It's the right ship!" It dived down as it spoke, the other following along slowly. "And that ship's got the Hunter!"

Aboard the Thousand Sunny, the crew froze as giant bird wings fluttered around the human pile. Black and white feathers dropped onto the deck and the Adam Wood squeaked as claws and talons on the end of human limbs scratched and clacked on the deck. The newcomer was wearing a gold Venetian mask with feathered edges over a curiously skeletal face, and a curved knife hung from his belt over a sort of wrap.

"Ow..." the hybrid bird-man moaned as he propped himself up. "Oh?" He looked down at the crushed Usopp. "Pinocchio?"

"I'm a human!" Usopp sat up, quickly retorting.

"Ah, sorry," the hybrid calmly replied. "I've never seen mortals close before, and I thought you were a sort of puppet, since I always thought that humans should look normal."

"...News Coo?" Nami murmured.

"Caw, caw," the hybrid said.

"..."

"It talked!" Luffy and Usopp screamed.

"You're not human?" Chopper retorted.

"Eh, no, although I'm surprised that a reindeer can talk," the bird-man shook his head.

"He can tell!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper exclaimed in shock.

"He didn't think I'm a _tanuki_..." Chopper murmured, touched.

"I've seen real _tanuki_ before, so it's nothing," the being shrugged. "Also, I differentiate by aura. Ah, yes, I forgot to introduce myself, my apologies. May I know who you people are?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate! You're on our ship!" Luffy grinned.

"Ah, so I'm on a mortal pirate ship," the being nodded. "I see. In that case... I am the Darkness Hunter, and my chosen name is Tenjou. Remember this name well... because it shall be your last memory."

Wings flared out as the being dived towards them, knife unsheathed in hand.

Zoro blocked th knife with one sword. "Don't fight what you can't handle."

"An enemy?" Usopp and Chopper backed away.

"Gigantic Cephalotus!" A giant plant monster that looked like a pitcher plant with teeth on legs clamped down on Tenjou. "Darkness Hunter... is another name for the Hunter of Black Feathers. You're not a human of this world... you're not a monster of this world."

"...it's been a long time since I've been called that," the being said after a long silence. "Lady spirit-caller, I bid you to let me go, and I shall not harm anyone."

"Spirit-caller?" Nami echoed.

"You... are a Duellist..." Tenjou murmured. "And we spirits are bound as such, so I swear."

"So you promise not to lay a hand on any of us, as long as you remain in our hospitality?" Aki persisted.

"Yes."

The teething monster let him go, disappearing into shards that faded into dust.

"My apologies for attacking you," Tenjou bowed on his hands and knees, forehead touching the ground towards the entire crew. "Had I known that a spirit-caller was amongst you all, I would not have acted out of hand. Indeed, please accept my deepest... apologies..."

"Eh?" Chopper exclaimed as the figure collapsed, running over. "He's injured! And badly! Quickly, get him to the infirmary!"

"Spirit-caller?" Luffy echoed as Zoro and Sanji hauled the unconscious bird-hybrid on Chopper's directions.

"Tenjou, as he says, is not human," Aki replied. "He is like my monsters, like Rose Tentacles, Black Rose Dragon... and Stardust. He is a Duel Monster, a spirit made flesh by some power."

"Eh? Cool!" Luffy's eyes sparkled as he yelled.

Back in the infirmary, Chopper was paling as he scanned the wounds and bruises hidden under black and white feathers.

"How horrible..." Chopper murmured under his breath. "How... how did he remain flying after such injuries?"

* * *

_**Please review!**_


	2. I: Against the Wind

**I: Against the Wind**

It was a while before the Darkness Hunter stirred, finding himself face-down in a soft pillow and his wounds treated.

"Ah! Don't move," Chopper muttered. "Oi! Everyone! He's awake!"

"How did you get so beat-up like the _marimo_ and still manage to fly?" Sanji muttered, the entire crew having assembled in the infirmary except for Yusei who was on watch duty.

"So, you're a Duel Monster," Luffy chirped, sitting cross-legged on the next bed. "Do you poop?"

"That's an inappropriate question," Tenjou muttered into the pillow.

"How did you get injured?" Chopper innocently asked, boiling water nearby.

"Occupational hazard," Tenjou muttered. "Like the Lady spirit-caller said, I am a Darkness Hunter, but also known as a Hunter of Black Feathers. I specialise in the hunting of the members of the Black Feather Clan."

"Black Feather?" Sanji echoed. "Still, those don't look like claw marks!"

"Black Feathers are a group of Winged Beast monsters who also specialise in using weapons," Aki spoke up.

"So the Lady says," Tenjou continued. "Usually, I would have only the usual problems to battle the Black Feather Clan, but... they had a spirit-caller with them, as well as their boss, the Black Feather Dragon. In the end, I was chased off Kurohane Island under threat of death, and here I am, in this ignoble state."

"Still, a human would have died from these injuries! You shouldn't even be flying!" Chopper voiced out.

"It was that or swim, and the waters are no good for a beast-warrior of the sky like myself," Tenjou sighed.

"Kurohane Island? You know how to get there?" Nami started. "Please, can you tell me?"

"Why would a mortal crew like yourselves go there?" Tenjou spoke into the pillow. "It is a place forbidden to all except for chosen humans."

"It's fun!" Luffy insisted. "And Yusei wants to go there!"

"I see," Tenjou said after a moment. "If the legendary one wishes, I cannot refuse. But, remember... keep close to either the Lady spirit-caller or the legendary one on Kurohane Island. Mortals will be killed upon the island without protection."

"Why do you call us all mortals?" Franky curiously asked. "It's not like you're immortal."

"It's how they talk," Ace shrugged, leaning on Luffy. "And as for their strength, they can be irritating and some of them are ridiculously strong. I fought some tagging behind Yusei."

"Oh, so Ace has fought monsters!" Luffy cooed. "What's the strongest?"

"...Oi, Aki, what's the dark angel with wings called before I plucked it?" Ace called.

"Darklord Edeh Arae?" Aki wondered. "I remember, there was nothing left of the battlefield when you finished except for the card."

"Oh, Ace took on a monster and won!" Luffy cheered. "Ace got stronger too! He's a monster!"

Robin silently giggled. "Truly. Fire Fist San is quite strong."

"That's fairly strong," Tenjou admitted. "The rubber man is correct. You are a monster if you took on something like that and live, flame-caller. However, the strongest of the Black Feathers are magnitudes above that of Edeh Arae, no matter how expansive the armies of the Fairies. Especially the one who did this to me."

"Was he strong?" Zoro drawled, bloodlust apparent in his eyes.

"The one who stands at the top of the Black Feather Clan, the right-hand of Boss Black Feather, Black Feather – Lone Silver Wind!" Tenjou answered.

"Nice," Zoro smirked. "That's a good name..."

"Luckily, I am heading back towards Kurohane Island as well," Tenjou relayed. "So it's quite simple. You ride the _bora_ for five kilometres, then the _etesian_ for two, then finally you catch the _zephyros_ for five, from here... I believe so, yes."

" _Hah?_ " the rest of the crew blinked.

"So, north-east, north, then west?" Nami deciphered.

"Then we enter the eye, and from there only Vayu can direct us," Tenjou nodded.

"Such a funny way of navigation," Nami commented. "But, won't the Log Pose change when we get there?"

"...ah, you mean that mortal navigational device," Tenjou realised. "Though Kurohane Island lies on the ocean you call the Grand Line, in this part of the world called the New World, in the time of the Grand Age of Pirates, that is a complete misnomer. It is an island that straddles dimensions. For a few weeks it remains, then it disappears to another world, everywhere and nowhere and at every time. Since the archipelago is completely different from the islands of this world, a side trip is completely possible. Why, pirates from your world dock there only to be killed, leaving their treasures and bodies behind."

"Treasure~?" Nami sighed, Beli symbols in her eyes. "Let's go!"

"You're going only for the treasure?" Usopp yelled.

"Set sail!" Luffy yelled. "To Kurohane Island!"

* * *

"So, how can you tell the way to Kurohane Island?" Nami asked as the Darkness Hunter hauled himself to the deck. "Since you don't have a Log Pose?"

"Maybe it's some homing instinct?" Franky suggested.

"Ah, yes. Every spirit can sense the energy to the doorway to enter Messiah Draconis," Tenjou agreed. "The doorways between worlds have always been closely watched by spirits waiting to escape. Some are good, some are evil, some are neutral. But, we all have the power to live beyond human lifespans, and it is unknown when do we die, so, entire human lifetimes can be spent waiting for the door to open."

"So, in our definition, you would truly be immortal," Robin concluded.

"Perhaps," Feathers fluttered. "Miss Navigator, have we ridden the _bora_ yet?"

"Er, yes," Nami answered, perplexed.

"Ah, because I have to announce myself," Tenjou sat up. The crew watched as the monster stood on the stern, holding hands to his mouth.

"Oi, Bora!" his voice echoed. "I'm right here! I'm bringing a ship to Kurohane, so shove off or I'll try its cannons on you!"

"Try it, caw!" A voice in the sky retorted. "I'll run you through!"

"That's... one of the Black Feather," Yusei glanced up.

"Isn't he your enemy?" Nami asked the bird-man.

"Even then, the Black Feathers are the ones who guard the frontier of Messiah Draconis from this end," Tenjou shrugged. "If I kill them, I would find myself in Pandemonium or Dark World. I really don't want to go there... or worse..."

"We're beginning on the _etesian_!" Nami called. "Franky, watch the Sunny!"

"Super leave it to me!" Franky posed.

"...that is a unique being," Tenjou remarked.

"Ah, Marine warship at six o'clock!" Sanji hollered, pointing at the aft of the ship.

Usopp took out his binoculars, running over to check. "Crap! It's Vice-Admiral Smoker!"

"Smokey?" Luffy grinned, as did Ace. "Cool!"

"Oi, Etesian, I'm coming back! Tell Black Feather to move over for me!" Tenjou hollered to the skies.

"The day that happens, Silver Wind would peel you open for the Harpie Ladies!" the caw replied sharply. "Oi, Zephyros, lead them to the Eye!"

"Eh?" Luffy blinked as a large black humanoid being with black wings, blue armour and wearing a mask shaped like a hummingbird's head landed on the deck. "Oh, cool!"

"Luffy San!" Yusei's voice drifted down from above. "There's something on deck!"

"Humans?" the being turned to Tenjou. "Your standards are falling."

"Black Feather, Zephyros the Elite," Aki recognised.

"Signer Sama," the being bowed low. "It has been a long time. I will be leading you to the eye with the winds."

"What's that?" Nami exclaimed, pointing.

"Don't know, but it looks cool!" Luffy grinned at the Duel Monster. "Do you poop?"

"That's an inappropriate question!" Red boots kicked him in the head as a pink-feathered duckling fluttered down from the crow's nest. "You shitty rubber captain..." Red boots ground his face into the wooden planking. "Yo, Zephyros."

"Road Runner," the being greeted. "Now, then, navigator!"

"Ah, yes?" Nami called.

"Straight ahead!" Zephyros pointed in the direction they were heading in.

Nami stared. "But... cyclone!"

Indeed, rising as high as the lowest clouds itself, the swirling winds were gaining speeds as they advanced.

"That's the Eye of the Typhoon," Tenjou agreed. 'That's why Zephyros is here."

A single flutter of feathers, and the Duel Monster known as Zephyros the Elite had taken to the skies and was behind the Sunny's main sail. "Straight! Believe in us!"

"Che!" Nami scoffed. "Franky! Keep the Sunny steady!"

"Right then, sis!" Franky hollered back though he looked slightly worried.

"We're going to sail into the storm! Everyone, hold on!" Nami called.

"A- are you crazy?" Zoro yelled even as he grabbed onto Chopper and the deck rails.

"Yohohoho, my skin would be tingling, ah, but I have no skin!"

"It would be interesting if we were to be dashed against some rocks in the middle of a cyclone," Robin amusedly observed.

"You, stop with the morbid jokes!" Usopp bellowed.

"The gentle winds guide this ship, the strong winds blow away from this ship, the power these wings hold of freedom in the skies, the pitch-black skies turn dark with the flies." low murmurs echoed around the Sunny as it, and the pursuing Marine warship, were swallowed into the cyclone.

"Ah! We're gonna die!" Usopp screamed again as he clung onto the deck railings for dear life, the Sunny rocking fiercely as it was buffeted and cosseted at every turn, progress through slower than usual. The sound of rope snapping was audible and Franky's moans that Sunny had to be fixed even more so enough to drown out the sounds of the winds.

"We're gonna die!" Chopper echoed in panic.

"Look!" Luffy yelped, latched onto the deck with a laughing Ace. "It's a rooster wearing a _gakuran_!"

"Luffy, there's no such thing- There's really a rooster wearing a _gakuran_!" Usopp yelped as he beheld what Luffy was pointing at.

"Ah, really!" Ace grinned at the sight.

It stood on a rock jutting out of the sea, at the very pinnacle in the middle of the windy storm. Grey feathers lined its wings in the sleeves of the black jacket in question, the red crest on the bird's head small but forbidding as the bird carried an expression suggesting that it would very much like to peck one of them.

"Can it talk?" Chopper murmured.

"Dunno," Luffy grinned, cupping his hands to shout over the howling winds. "Oi, rooster, can you talk?"

"Both of you are idiots, caw!" the bird scolded.

"It insulted us!" they yelled.

"Aki! Robin! Nami!" Luffy bellowed. "Look, it's a talking bird in a _gakuran!"_

"That's... Vayu the Grand Flag," Aki recognised as Nami and her came over. "So that's Vayu..."

The rooster raised a wing to the right, and another wing, and it began to move them around.

"Semaphore?" Nami recognised. "Go... left? Franky, port!"

"Yosh!" Franky spun the steering wheel for dear life. "Hold on, you guys! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

"Quack!" the pink Sonic Chick landed next to Yusei up on the crow's nest. "Vayu!"

"Huh, it's actually quite peaceful in the centre," Nami observed. "We didn't have as tough a time as I thought."

"The area around Messiah Draconis is freely manipulated, if you know how," Zephyros fluttered next to the ship, wings outstretched and elegantly riding the winds. "I must leave now. May the fates decree we meet again."

"Bye, birdie!" Luffy called, waving as it took to the skies. "Man, he's pretty nice, right?"

"Fog?" Nami complained as the grey mists drifted in. "And the day looked promising..."

Winds blew and the fog cleared as fast as it came, and with it...

"There it is!" Luffy eagerly yelped. "There it is! There it is!"

Kurohane Island was a large island in the standards of the Grand Line, bearing mostly forests and open land and mountains at first glance, yet, the most unique thing was not the archipelago of green stretched out behind it, but that, on the tallest spire of the island, several birds were circled around it in flight, and the noise of crows were audible even as they neared it.

"We made it..." Yusei realised. "Kurohane Island..."

"Land ho!" Luffy bellowed. "We've come to Kurohane Island!"

* * *

"Smoker San?"

Vice Admiral Smoker was standing on the stern of the docked Marine warship, mentally cursing the mad pirate called Monkey D. Luffy and his decision to run straight into a cyclone just to get to an island in where-the-hell-am-I middle of nowhere. Him and the other half of G5 were currently docked on the same island as the Straw Hats, not that it helped because they were a) on a deserted island, b) without weapons, since the cyclone had robbed them of gunpowder, plus c) they were somewhere unknown.

"Smoker San?" Captain Tashigi repeated, adjusting her glasses. "It looks like this island is deserted."

"It is," Smoker growled. "Get ready to land."

"AHHHHHH!" One of the Marines screamed as a claw pierced through his arm.

"What's that?"

"What the hell's that?"

"Che, you guys are weak!" A blue-feathered bird with a green-covered head crooned from its perch on the main mast.

"It talked!"

"The bird talked!"

The other, vaguely humanoid bird, landed on the deck, growling as its large black wings fanned out threateningly. Another smaller bird, this one grey and wearing aeronautic goggles perched on its head, leapt in a somersault, lightly scratching Smoker on the cheek before it leapt back.

Smoker traced the blood from the wound gingerly as smoke poured from his arms. "What the hell are you?"

"Caw, caw!" the blue-feathered bird fanned its wings, the winds fanned at Smoker suddenly making the Vice-Admiral weak in the knees. "Caw, caw!"

"I won't let you!" Tashigi leapt forward but was blocked by another, larger humanoid bird with the same black wings. "Eh?"

"This is our island," the blue-feathered bird cooed. "Why are mortals here? And one with a Devil Fruit, too! Sirocco, remember to dunk that one in sea water first!"

"Oi, Gale, we might have a problem," the blue-headed one who had attacked first took to the skies as the deck was covered in smog.

"Caw!" the blue bird, Gale, growled. "Shura!"

"Let's do it! Combine our power!" The large bird took after Gale as it flew and scattered into rings. Familiar rings of green light...

"Marineford," Smoker breathed.

"Darkened gales, become the wings which will soar to the heavens!" both screamed.  
"Black Feather, Armoured Wing!"

"What was that?"

"Those two... turned into one!"

"Is that a monster?"

"Let's go!" the new dark entity crowed, charging at Smoker. "Black Hurricane!"

The resulting clash echoed for miles.


	3. II: Black Feather Beacon

**II: Black Feather Beacon**

"No matter how you look at it, it's a deserted island," Nami sighed as the landing party of Yusei, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ace and Nami strolled onwards in the thick foliage that seemed to make up eighty percent of Kurohane Island. "Is there even _anything_ here?"

Ace froze in his steps as something large and round bounced before them. "Crap."

Yusei blinked at the sight. "I wasn't aware there were Killer Tomatoes around here."

"It looks like it'll make a good sauce," Sanji shifted his weight on one foot.

"It's a big tomato..." Luffy began to drool. "FOOOOOOOD!"

"Oi, wait, Luffy!" Ace bodily tackled the rubber man down before he could grab the large tomato monster. "If you kill it like that another will come!"

"Excellent," Zoro drawled. " _Santouryuu Ougi... Rokudo no Tsuji_!"

"And then..." Ace sighed as something large and feathery descended. The large legless creature of black and orange feathers crooned, giving an intelligent glance at them.

"...it's a giant chicken," Luffy blinked.

"A giant chicken," Sanji confirmed. "A black chicken at that. It'll make good soup."

The legless creature then opened its mouth. "Elphin!"

"A talking bird!" All three of the Monster Trio yelled.

Flutters heralded the arrival of a huge winged bird that dived from the skies to lash out at them. Zoro grinned as he blocked the claws with _Shuusui._ "Quite a challenge, a bird who fights back."

"Quite a challenge, humans who stand their ground," the vaguely humanoid bird chirped, nodding and moving the small purple smock it had on.

"Another talking bird!" Nami screamed as she pointed at it. "This island must be full of talking birds!"

"Are you sure it's not a human with the _Tori Tori no Mi_ , Nami San?" Sanji drawled.

"I'm not human, caw," the bird volunteered.

"Ah, Elphin the Pitch-Black, right?" Yusei started as the bird that was about Zoro's own size loomed over. "Black Feather, Elphin of the Pitch-Black!"

"Yusei, do you know it?" Nami asked, blinking.

"Ah, I have a friend who plays Black Feathers... in Duel Monsters," Yusei amended hurriedly. "It's like my own monsters and Stardust, my friend and the Black Feathers."

"So, the Black Feather Clan that was supposed to live here... was a clan of talking _birds_?" Nami exclaimed.

"A giant talking bird!" Luffy pointed, eyes flashing. "Can we eat it?"

"Don't offend it!" Sanji kicked the captain. "Sorry, he's an idiot. Pay no attention to it."

"...I see," the bird diplomatically answered. It then coughed delicately. "I am Elfen of the Pitch-Black, number three of the Black Feather Clan. You people are?"

"We're pirates!" Luffy grinned. "This is so cool, a whole island of talking birds!"

"We're not birds, we're Black Feather!" It kicked a clawed foot at the rubber-man. "Do I call you a monkey?"

"Well, it looks like Yusei recognised that bird as a friend," Sanji lit a cigarette. "So, can we cook it?"

"Don't cook it!" Nami hit him.

"Yes, Nami Swan~!"

"An aura of starlight..." bright eyes stared at Yusei. "I see. So... these people are your friends, Fudo Yusei Sama?"

"Let's drop the formality," Yusei raised a placating hand. "We were here because we heard that there was something going on..."

"Alizé!" the large bird turned to the legless creature. "Go back, tell Crow Sama that his friend's here!"

"My friend?" Yusei echoed.

"Crow? I thought the boss of the island was a Black Feather person," Zoro scoffed.

"Caw, yes, Black Feather Sama is the boss of the island, and her second is the Lone Silver Wind," Elphin agreed. "Of course, that changed when the Crimson Dragon finally gave us our master, caw!"

"Master?" Nami echoed, eyes narrowing. "You mean, there's a guy stronger than the so-called Lone Silver Wind?"

"Our chosen Duellist!" Elfen agreed. "Our chosen master! He's human, but it doesn't matter!"

"Gotcha!" A black shadow leapt forward as Alizé took off, Elfen blocking it with a clawed hand.

"Tenjou?" The black humanoid bird growled.

"Elfen," the Darkness Hunter growled. "I'll be taking those prized black feathers of yours today!"

"Oi, hang on!" Nami interrupted them indignantly. "Weren't you injured?"

"Injuries to us heal quickly," Tenjou answered, levelling a knife. "Time for work-!"

A clawed hand slapped the knife down before Elfen drew a punch.

"Take a vacation."

"GYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHH!" All the Straw Hats stared as it was sent flying into a twinkle in the sky.

"...Isn't that a bit cruel to an injured person?" Sanji commented briskly.

"He'll recover, he's tenacious that way," Elfen cooed, scattering feathers of coal black everywhere. "We'll have a party ready if we head up to the mountain."

"Party!" Luffy cheered.

"How suspicious," Zoro drawled.

"Our master and Yusei Sama are important to this archipelago," Elfen answered, looking up to the tree foliage. "Jet!"

"That's a Black Feather as well?" Nami exclaimed as a tiny bird of red, blue and black plumage fluttered down from the treetops. "It's... small..."

"The Vayu we met in the Eye of the Typhoon was also a Black Feather, known as Vayu the Grand Flag," Yusei told her.

"I suppose you have friends on the beach?" Elfen enquired. "Jet can fly over faster than me, so we can pass them a message to call them over."

"Is there sake?" Zoro drawled. "I don't feel like eating bird food."

A snicker, which twisted the face somewhat to an intelligent hunter's expression on Elfen. "Some of us are carnivorous, and wine is the same in anywhere."

"Y- You aren't... c- cannibals, right?" Nami stuttered.

"If, you mean that we don't eat our own kind, then no, we are not," Elfen answered as Jet took to he skies after dictating the message. "If, you mean that do we eat human flesh... well, food is sometimes scarce here..."

"That's doesn't assure me at all!" Nami screamed at him.

"Well, Crow is here, so I guess it's fine," Yusei considered.

"So, Yusei, this Crow is a monster as well?" Luffy grinned.

"No, he's human," Yusei shook his head. "He's... a good friend, if a bit fierce as well..."

"A human take over a clan of talking birds with such fighting strength as to eat humans... this Crow must be a monster-like guy," Sanji blew a plume of smoke. "I don't like the implication behind that tone... the one about eating humans."

"Oh, another tomato!" Luffy grinned as a pair of miniature tomato came bouncing. " _Gomu Gomu no...!_ "

"Stop!" Nami whacked him upside the head. "Don't attract more monsters!"

"They'll flatten you if you're unprepared," Ace grinned, although his left eye twitched. "Stupid tomatoes..."

"We need to stock up the fridge anyway," Sanji drawled, ready to kick out.

Yusei covered his eyes. "Please, stop before you offend the whole island... or eat the whole island."

"Heh, you're learning," Zoro smirked.

* * *

"Are you sure it's okay to let Luffy explore that island?" Usopp moaned as he fixed up the rigging.

"Well, Yusei's with them, they'll probably be fine," Franky drawled as the sound of mallets permeated the deck. "They might attack us, but they don't seem so keen on hurting Yusei or Aki."

"Yusei's a reliable person, he'll be fine," Aki interjected, packing up and arranging the Straw Hats' dispensary that was messed up by the storm. "I just hope that Luffy doesn't try the first thing Ace San did..."

"Oh? What did he do?" Chopper asked, laying out the dried surgical instruments.

"He attacked a killer tomato and killed it, which called another killer tomato, which called another, which called some more, and in the end a Dark Armed Dragon came out and almost flattened him before we intervened," Aki nodded in remembrance.

"The super-monster that's Luffy's brother almost got flattened?" Usopp yelped, almost dropping his mallet. "How strong was that dragon?"

"Way stronger than Stardust or Black Rose," Aki replied calmly, sorting out a few more pills. "If it wasn't for their abilities, we probably wouldn't have defeated it."

"I have no idea which one is the monster, that one or you guys..." Usopp muttered.

"Both and neither," Robin answered. "After all, monsters are based upon perceptions, aren't they? It depends on the person being asked."

"True..." Chopper sighed. "I wanna go exploring too... eh?"

A red, blue and black bird was perched on the deck railings, giving them the evil eye.

"What's that?" Usopp blinked.

"Dunno, but it's strange for a bird," Franky remarked. "Oi, what?"

" _Birri, birri_. A message from Elfen the Pitch-Black to Signers," the bird chirped. "We of the Black Feather Clan extend an invitation to the Signers and their companions. Black Feather Sama herself will welcome you to our keep where a party will be held. _Ka- cha._ "

"It's like a DenDen Mushi!" Franky, Usopp and Chopper exclaimed.

"Black Feather, Jet the Blue Sky," Aki identified with a squint. "One of the Black Feather Clan."

"Party?" Franky lifted his sunglasses to look at the bird. "Why?"

"Our master is a friend of Yusei Sama, and by extension all of you are friends of the master," the bird chirped. "Then, if you'll please follow my directions."

"It's not a trap, right?" Usopp muttered.

"They're waiting for you guys as well," the bird chirped. "The stupidly grinning rubber monkey, a guy with three swords and green hair, the blond with the swirly eyebrows, the orange-haired navigator, the freckled guy, and Yusei-sama."

"Why is Yusei the only one who gets named?" Usopp yelled, slapping the air.

"'Cause I don't know the rest of them."

"That's... surprisingly honest," Usopp fell flat.

"Okay, that's the last," Aki exited the infirmary. "A party, you say?"

"Crow Sama awaits us, caw," the bird nodded.

"Crow?" Aki echoed, with the omen of a bad feeling.

"I thought the island's master was Lone Silver Wind..." Robin sighed.

"There's no Black Feather named Crow..." Aki muttered in reply. "Only a Duellist I know."

* * *

Up on the highest spire of the unimaginatively named Mountain, fingers were currently digging through short orange hair arranged like a brush and held back by a green headband. "Argh, why can't I fix the D-Wheel?" he complained as pieces sparked and flashed as he poked at it with an iron. "Really, Yusei's the guy that does this..."

"Caw, caw!" orange feathers dropped to the ground as the legless bird called Alizé the Tailwind landed. "Crow Sama!"

"What, Alizé Chan?" Crow muttered, a pen cap in his mouth. "I'm a bit messy at the moment.

"Yusei-sama is here! And he brought friends here!"

The pen cap dropped to land on wood, though Crow hardly cared about that as he stared at the female Black Feather. "Yusei? He's here? He's not dead?"

"Caw, yes, he's been in this world for two years!" Alizé crowed in answer.

"He's not dead, he's not dead..." Crow repeated, a grin forming on his face. "Yusei's not dead! Get ready a party! I'm going to get him!"

"Wait, Crow Sama!" Alizé cawed as boots thudded on the ground. "That way is the-!"

"I'll be back! Pull out all the stops!" Crow yelled. "We need a party!"

"That's the... Harpies' Hunting Ground..." Alizé faintly echoed as the orange-haired man ran out. "Ah! Crow Sama! Someone follow him!"

"What now, Alizé?" Large red and black wings fluttered as a bird poked its head around.

"He's gone to the Hunting Ground!" Alizé wailed. "And prepare a party! Yusei-sama is here!"

"What? Say so earlier!" A large wing smacked the female playfully. "Oi, Mistral, we got a master to save! Calm, party! Pull out the salmon!"

"Coo, what a high-maintenance master," the Black Feather with a silver-plated head called Mistral the Silver Shield flew out following on the winds of the Black Feather, Ghibli the Searing Wind.

"Crow Sama!" Ghibli was cawing as a bob of orange attached to a being with ridiculously large green and grey wings and a vaguely humanoid shape. "Gust, you bastard! Get back here!"

"I'll be back soon!" the call of Crow echoed about as the bob fluttered down to the wide open western plains with nowhere to hide.

* * *

"This field is huge!" Luffy complained as he saw the stretch of green between the valley and the mountain.

"This is the Harpies' Hunting Ground, home of the Harpie Ladies," Elfen answered. "It's rather dangerous, so watch the skies."

"Skies...?" Nami muttered as she looked up. "AAAHHHH!"

Elfen blocked a golden clawed hand from reaching Nami. "That's not very polite."

"Oh? Since when did Elfen the Pitch-Black care?" Long red hair fell as the harpy smirked, golden claws easing through black claws. "And since when do birds take the land route when they could fly?"

"Do humans looks like they can fly on command?" Elfen dead-panned.

"Mellorine~!" Sanji yelled, waltzing around. "Such a wild beauty I have yet to lay my eyes upon! Tell me, my lady, would you bless me with your name?"

The harpy drew back, giving an odd look to Sanji who had hearts in his eyes. "What the hell are you?"

"Another monster!" Luffy grinned. "Do you-?"

"Do not!" Sanji kicked him, flames now burning in his eyes. "How can you ask a lady such a question! Stop! Stop!"

The red-haired harpy seemed at a loss. "...first time I've met such a..."

"Yes, yes," Elfen nodded. "I felt like that too. You can fly away now."

"Can't be helped. These are the rules," the red-haired harpy dismissed. "If you want to pass through here, you have to defeat us."

"Us?" Nami echoed. "There's only one of you."

"Oh?" the harpy grinned, raising her winged arms to the sky. " _Mangekyo – Kareinaru Bunshin!_ "

"They split up!" Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Ace screamed as one harpy turned into three different harpies, each with a different hairstyle.

"That's so cool~!" Luffy yelled, eyes shining. "Awesome!"

"Kaleidoscope – Magnificent Replication," Yusei realised. "Only the Harpie Ladies of Duel Monsters can do this..."

"I am Airo, the storm swift, first of the Harpie Ladies," the crimson-haired one smirked.

"I am Ocupete, the swift wing, second of the Harpie Ladies," the orange-haired harpy echoed.

"I am Kerairo, the dark, third of the Harpie Ladies," the one with spiky blue hair then followed.

"We are the Harpie Lady Triplets!"

"So, we just have to beat all three of you up?" Luffy smirked, raising a fist. "Gomu Gomu no..."

" _What are you doing to a woman, Luffy?_ " Sanji roared at him, the flames around him exploding.

"Oh, good job!" Ace clapped. "I thought I was the only one with fire powers."

"This is so troublesome," Zoro yawned. "What happened to the party?"

"Even if I die... I won't lay a hand on a lady!" Sanji roared.

All three ladies gave the blond steaming cook odd looks. "...Let's just make this simple," the first one finally stated, placing clawed hands to her mouth. A sharp whistle heralded the descent of something with large leathery wings.

All of them looked up to see a red body, reptilian in shape and gargantuan in size, complete with a black headdress with a green jewel from which a chain dangled into the hand of Airo.

"If you can defeat our pet, the Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon, we'll let you and your friends pass," the Harpie Lady offered as the dragon roared in answer.

"Pet?" Nami screamed as the dragon loomed overhead. "That's a _pet_?"

"I want one!" Luffy screamed. "Yusei, find me a dragon! I'm gonna tame it as my pet!"

"Do not!" Sanji warned the mechanic as Yusei opened his mouth. "We have Chopper, we don't need a pet!"

"-.- Sanji San, that completely doesn't make sense..."

"So, we just have to beat this thing, right?" Zoro drawled as he hefted all three swords in hand, or mouth as it were. "Come, you huge lizard!"

"Zoro San, it's not that simple!" Yusei protested.

"This pet's strength is dependent on how many Harpies there are on the field," Ocupete purred. "One, and you can only attack it..."

"Two, and its original strength doubles..." Kerairo interjected.

"Three, and once we can destroy one on the field," Airo smirked. "Destroy!"

The dragon roared, a single blast pushing the swordsman back.

"Zoro!" Luffy yelped in concern as the swordsman staggered.

"Interesting..." the green-haired swordsman glared at the dragon, which roared in answer as he winced. "You're pretty strong for a tiny dragon."

"Oh yeah, Zoro killed a dragon in Punk Hazard," Luffy recalled. "So, it's my turn!"

"Don't joke around, boy," Airo tittered. "This dragon is at double its power, added with the additional power granted by my own presence. The power of this dragon right now is far beyond anything you have right now."

"Don't screw with us!" Luffy pulled a fist back.

"They're right," Yusei considered. "If I remember... Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon is at... twelve hundred... double that, twenty-four hundred... plus Harpie Lady One, twenty-seven hundred..."

"Yusei, right? Oi, Yusei!" A loud bellow caused all of them to look up to the skies once more to see an orange-haired man suspended from the feet of a large being with wings.

"Yusei!" the man let go, plummeting to the ground and landing on his feet. "Yusei!"

"Crow? Crow!" Yusei laughed, smiling as the orange-haired man offered a fist. Touching fists together, Yusei cracked a rare smile. "It's been a long time, Crow!"

"We thought you were dead, bastard!" Crow shot back, though there was no heat in his voice as he lightly hit Yusei on the shoulder. "So, why are you here?" He then noticed the other pirates. "And who're they?"

"They're friends, the Straw Hat Pirates," Yusei offered.

"Crow Sama!" Elfen butted in. "We were just about to go up, but, as you can see..."

"We need to destroy the dragon on the field," Yusei informed the confused orange-head.

"Oh?" Crow smirked as he spotted the three Harpie Ladies and the dragon. "You and your friends stand back, Yusei. I'm gonna help you with this."

"Oh? Let's see what this guy can do," Zoro grinned as he stood back.

"He's the same as me," Yusei told the swordsman. "A Duellist."

"So he summons loads of tiny monsters to fight like you do?" Zoro asked.

"You shut up, you algae-head!" Crow retorted at him. "I'll start with the special summon of Black Feather – Gust the Adverse Wind!"

"Big bird!" Luffy cheered as the green-and-blue feathers showed itself.

"I play the Continuous Spell, Black Whirlwind!" Crow smirked. "Black Feather – Damascus the Polar Night, summon! Due to Black Whirlwind, I can move one Black Feather from my deck to my hand, and I choose Black Feather – Breeze the Zephyr! Breeze is special summoned from my hand!"

"Two more birds, and one of them is a girl!" Sanji pointed.

"This is the first time I've seen Damascus,"

"I tune Gust and Damascus to Breeze!" Crow called as Breeze flew forward, followed by the other two. "Gust fiercely, storm! Gain the will of steel and the speed of light to sublime your form! _Synchro Summon! Black Feather – Lone Silver Wind!_ "

"Beam!" Luffy hollered in awe as a green aura enveloped all three and from there burst forth...

The three Harpie Ladies cringed back as winds whipped the fields and a single,sharp blade, followed by black wings and feathers whipping in the winds and a head shaped like a bird attached to a human body flew out.

"This is... the strongest of the Black Feather Clan..." Nami breathed.

"Black Feather – Lone Silver Wind..." Luffy gasped in awe.

"With Lone Silver Wind's ability, Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon is destroyed!" Crow called. "Perfect Storm!"

A single lade swept the field, before the dragon shattered against the blade and went down in a flash of light.

The cigarette fell out of Sanji's mouth. "That speed..."

"The dragon that blasted back Zoro..." Nami stared.

"So this is the strength of the Black Feather's strongest," Zoro growled, grinning maniacally. "Lone Silver Wind..."

"What the hell was that?" Usopp's voice drifted in as the rest of the Straw Hats strolled into the plains. "That was a- AHHHHH! A huge monster!" Usopp pointed at Lone Silver Wind, which had raised its sword threateningly.

"Yo, you guys!" Luffy grinned at them. "Here's an old friend of Yusei's, Crow! Can we cook him? I'm hungry!"

" _Why are you turning to cannibalism this early?_ " Nami and Crow ganged up on the rubber man.

"I'm not food!" Crow finished.

"Party!" Luffy cheered. "Yusei, men, let's go! I wanna eat chicken!"

"Oi!" Ace punched him. "We're eating with birds! Don't insult them!"

"But I wanna eat chicken!" Luffy whined.

"We're eating with birds, you idiot!" Chopper whacked him lightly.

"Ah, the raccoon spoke!" Crow exclaimed.

"I'm a reindeer, you bastard!"

"Sorry, you don't look like one!" Crow retorted.

"Crow?" Aki recognised.

"Oh, Aki!" Crow waved. "It's been a long time! You found him, huh?"

"A lot of stuff happened," Aki sheepishly replied. "There's a party, Jet the Blue Sky told us."

"In a party, there's gotta be cola, right?' Franky drawled.

Crow stared up the veritable size of the cyborg. "Er, yeah."

"Yohohoho! Parties require music, and so I shall do my best!" Brook laughed.

"The s- skeleton is talking... and has an afro..." Crow stuttered, jaw dropping. "Yusei... exactly _what_ kind of friends did you make here?"

* * *

_**Please review!** _


	4. III: Fake Feather

**III: Fake Feather**

"You're awfully heavy for a so-called smoke-man."

Smoker growled at the humanoid bird-like being. "Well, you're currently suppressing the powers of the Devil Fruit with this stupid chain."

"This Demon's Chain suppresses any and all special abilities, including your Devil Fruit powers," the being traced a claw on the glowing chain that was definitely not Sea Stone as it flew overhead to the spire of the island's mountain. "Crow Sama will know what to do with you."

A red, blue and black blur flashed overhead, a small bird perching itself on the larger being shoulder as it chirped something.

"Ah, so Crow Sama has found his friends," the being noted.

"Crow?" Smoker echoed around the stubs of cigars still in his teeth. "Bird-bastard, where're you taking me? My subordinates are going to come soon, you know. Do you know that it's a punishable offence, attacking a Marine ship?"

"Your human governments have no sway here, and cannot reach here," the bird-being chirped in reply. "Even if you escape, how would you find your way back? How you got here will be rectified, and then I will throw you into the sea. Let's see if you can still swim. If you can, then I'm not Black Feather, Sirocco the Dawn!"

* * *

"Food!" Luffy made a running jump towards the long table of food laid out. "Food!"

"Stop!" Usopp whacked him. "What if it's human flesh...?"

"Don't care! I'm hungry!"

"You and your demonic appetite!" Usopp yelled at him.

"Don't worry, this is beef," Sanji poked at a slab. "Still bloody though... and lobster?"

"Why are these bottles all thin in the neck?" Zoro growled.

"We're birds, does it look like we have human mouths?" A green-headed blue bird crooned as it landed clawed feet on the long table. "Crow Sama!"

"Gale, I told you, enough with the formality!" Crow scolded lightly. "We have a lot to talk about, Yusei, Aki. These guys are?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, I'm a pirate!" Luffy chirped, drooling at the salmon fillet which was about the length of his forearm. "I'm the captain!"

"You're the captain?" Crow yelled. "You're an idiot!"

"Yes, he's an idiot, but he's the captain," Ace nodded. "Portgas D. Ace, Luffy's big brother. My apologies for this idiot."

"Sadly, yes," Nami sighed. "Nami, navigator."

"Zoro, swordsman," Zoro chugged down half a bottle. "Hey, this is good!"

"Sanji, chef," Sanji cut out choice cuts of salmon. "Nami Swan~! Robin Chwan~!"

"Nico Robin, archaeologist and researcher," Robin offered. "I do know that most birds are primarily herbivorous, so I do hope that you did not have to resort to killing one of your own to feed us."

"Stop with the morbid speech!" Usopp yelled. "Ah, I'm Usopp, sniper. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Chopper, and I'm the first doctor!" Chopper grinned. "Aki's the second doctor!"

"I'm the super-shipwright that built the Sunny, Franky!" Franky posed.

"My eyes!" Crow screamed.

"Yohoho, my eyes would pop out, but I have no eyes! Ah, I am the musician, 'Just Dead Bones' Brook, also called the Soul King! Yohohoho!" Brook laughed.

"And I'm Crow Hogan, Yusei's old friend!" Crow smiled at them. "Yusei... we have a lot to catch up on... such as how you joined a pirate crew led by an idiot..."

"Yeah, there's a lot that happened..." Aki nodded in agreement.

"I'm hungry!" Luffy whined.

"Ara, Crow, you've brought in quite the group this time," A feminine voice echoed through the dry high-ceiling caves where the Black Feather made their homes as a tall woman entered. "First time I've seen them."

This woman wore her dark hair long and wild like a bunch of feathers, a contrast to the slim black, white and red dress with a Chinese collar she had. Her head was covered with a gold hood edged with teeth to show only her sharp, angular features and hooked nose, and her eyes gleamed red in the dark light provided by the bare torches that burned around the cave.

"Mellorine~!" Sanji waltzed around. "You elegance knows no bounds, my lady!"

"Yes, he does this all the time," Yusei answered the expression on Crow's face.

Crow sighed, slapping his forehead. "Just take that form already."

The woman smiled faintly, and winds whipped as she was enveloped in a dark tornado that quickly died down to reveal...

"AHHHHHH!" Sanji back-pedalled as he was faced with a beak-like mouth edged with lots of teeth, a slender serpentine body, and large feathery wings of black and white that matched the looks of the woman earlier.

"Apparently, here, in Messiah Draconis, the powers of the Signer Dragons extend to taking a human form," Crow sighed as the dragon faded to be replaced by the elegant woman again. "So, Black Feather Dragon is apparently a woman."

"What a surprise," Aki nodded. "I thought you referred to Black Feather Dragon as a 'he'."

"When talking about dragons, who would think it was a girl?" Crow commented.

"Sexist!" Black feather whacked him upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Cool! You're a dragon, right?' Luffy exclaimed. "Do you-?"

"Do not!" Sanji kicked him in the face. "My lady, your beauty and elegance is such that it cannot belong to a mere human! I should have realised that!"

Crow twitched. "Yusei, exactly what kind of friends did you make...?"

"A bunch of pirates," Black Feather sighed. "Imagine my surprise when I was summoned not to a Duel Stadium, but to a battlefield."

"A battlefield?" Crow yelped.

"Oi, this is really good!" Luffy interrupted, waving a whole lobster claw about. "Try it!"

"We should eat first," Yusei offered. "Otherwise he'll eat the whole table."

* * *

"So, you charged into a war against what, a hundred thousand people with only four thousand or so pirates, this guy," Crow pointed to Luffy, "and Aki, to rescue that guy's brother?" He sighed. "And, how many times did you nearly die in the process?"

"Ah, that should cover everything," Yusei considered. "Or maybe there was the two years I spent-"

"No thank you." Crow shot back. "I'd rather not have a heart attack from the numerous death-defying stunts you put yourself through."

"Oi, Yusei, you forgot the giant dragon!" Luffy yelled.

"You've never talked about Marineford," Nami muttered.

"You never asked," Yusei replied. "No one did."

"He was so cool!" Luffy began to sparkle from awe again. "Even against that giant gold Buddha, that dragon just charged straight into the Oris Plaza! Everyone was stunned!"

"That guy pulled off a real miracle there, charging into the Navy HQ like that to live..." Ace mused. "Hey, this sake is _good!_ "

"And there was a whole lot of dragons too!" Luffy continued excitedly. "It was _awesome!_ We should do it again!"

"Idiot captain, we nearly died there! Not everyone's made of rubber like you!" Aki whacked him lightly. "Ace, discipline him!"

"Luffy..." Ace began rather calmly, right before he erupted. "Dammit, don't give me a heart attack every time you do crazy things!"

"Yusei, you too!" Crow lightly punched his shoulder. "After that Arc Cradle thing back home, we all thought you died! Don't scare everyone like that! Do you know what Jack will do when he realises you're still alive?"

"Jack?" Usopp echoed. "Another old friend, Yusei?"

"We're in another world," Yusei pointed out.

Crow gave him a look. "This is Jack Atlas, the guy with the burning soul and willpower even though he's got no skills outside of Duel Monsters and fighting. Do you really think the fact that we're in another world would stop him? If Aki and I can get here, so can Jack."

"Oh, right," Yusei realised.

"Hang on, this Jack only knows fighting, and this game, right?" Usopp pointed out.

"Won't stop him," Yusei frowned. "I grew up with that man. If there's a goal, he'll reach it even if he has to go through hell."

"So, he'll find his way here by sheer power?" Nami asked. "Why?"

"Jack, has only ever seen Yusei as a rival," Crow pointed out as Yusei excused himself. "You know, Jack is number one in the Pro Leagues, and undisputed King in the Leagues. That is, he's acknowledged as king, but officially he's not."

"Eh? Why?" Zoro growled. "If he's so strong then he's king, right?"

"That's because... to be King, he needs an undefeated record," Crow answered. "And Jack has one person he has never won in a Riding Duel..."

"There's one person even stronger than this Jack?" Chopper squeaked.

"Yusei," Crow nodded. "Whether official or not, Jack has never won against Yusei in a Riding Duel."

"Never? As in, _never_ never?" Usopp exclaimed. "So Yusei's another monster as well..."

"Well, we're a crew of monsters too," Luffy wisely nodded. "He fits right in, don't you think?"

"So, what does Yusei do with you guys anyway?" Crow asked.

"He's the handyman," Luffy chirped. "He's really reliable!"

"Caw, we're back!" a large bird-human in a red smock arrived, a thick something slung over one shoulder. "There's a human warship docked on the beach. This is their in-charge."

"Yo, Smokey!" Luffy grinned as Vice-Admiral Smoker was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground.

"Strawhat!" the man growled in answer. "Untie me this instant so I can beat that guy!"

"So, what do we do with him, Crow?" Black Feather lounged in her winged-back chair, eyeing the Marine with distaste. "He's a security risk."

"Hell if I know," Crow shrugged. "What do you guys usually do?"

"We just drop them from the mountain," Gale chirped.

"Are you crazy?" Crow yelped, eyeing the entrance to the cave. "It's what, about five hundred metres? He'll die!"

"Actually, it's six hundred and fifty metres," Sirocco volunteered. "And them dying was pretty much the plan. After all the Black Feathers who died protecting our treasure..."

"Treasure?" Nami's eyes sparkled. "Where?"

"Here," Crow snidely drew a card from his pocket. "Treasure of the Black Feather, or Cards for Black Feathers."

"How is that a treasure?" Nami screeched at the bird.

"Black Feathers tend to use up the hand quickly, so this card is necessary," Yusei answered. " In a Duel, the next chance could represent a chance to turn the game around and win. It's a chance at victory, that's why it's a treasure."

"You're this Crow, right?" Smoker growled. "You're affiliated with the Straw Hat Pirates?"

"Yusei's a friend," Crow replied sharply. "And, I _hate_ authority figures, blah."

"Shooting Star!" Smoker bellowed. "Untie me so I can throw you into the brig!"

"Can't that guy turn into smoke?" Zoro commented.

"Demon's Chain," Sirocco pointed. "We borrowed it from Crimson Fire a while back."

"Crimson Fire?" Yusei echoed, slightly disturbed.

"It's one of the six main island of the archipelago, Messiah Draconis," Black Feather interjected, giggling. "Back to the Marine we have captured here. What about the warship?"

"The rest of them are being watched, Black Feather Sama, Crow Sama," Sirocco answered.

"Enough with the formality already," Crow yawned. "Couldn't we just send the ship on its way?"

"This gateway is protected pretty much by fear, and the Shadow Mists that surround it in the middle of the Eye of the Typhoon," the dragon-turned-human sighed. "If it were that simple, then every ship that comes here wouldn't be sunk by us."

"S- Sunk?" Usopp squeaked.

"So, why are we an exception?' Franky bluntly asked.

"Because you had two Signers with you, and the Marks are that of our master," Black Feather explained.

"Marks? Didn't they all- Ah! Yusei, when did that come back?" Crow jumped as Yusei peeled off his glove to show the Head of the Dragon.

"Ah! There was a huge round mark on his back too!" Luffy used a finger to draw in the sauce of the plate he was holding. "It looks like..."

"That's definitely not the mark," everyone said as Luffy showed his masterpiece. The result was a cross between an Escher painting and watercolours gone wrong.

"So you took on that destiny again..." Crow sighed, a weary look in his eyes.

"Then, maybe we could have them under our protection for a while?" Chopper asked.

"They're Marines, an enemy of pirates," Zoro growled. "They're not going to accept our protection."

"Maybe I'll just sink the ship," Black Feather daintily replied.

Her declaration got mixed response from the crew present. "Oi!" Luffy protested.

"Black Feather!" Yusei protested.

"That sort of thing-!" Usopp followed up.

"That's evil!" Chopper accused.

"Good and bad are human concepts, so something that is not human cannot be classified as neither good nor bad." Black Feather replied evenly. "Even in this form, remember, little reindeer, that you and I are not human. We are _monsters._ "

"Anyway, the fate of these guys are in my hands, right?" Crow asked.

"As a Duellist of the Black Feather, you know that answer already," An elbow was propped on the table as Black Feather leaned forward. "What will you do, Crow? Humans who step on the island will be killed by the Killer Tomatoes running around, or fall prey to Kogarashi or Jin. This is a haven of Duel spirits, and the only mortals allowed are those we chose and their friends."

"Dammit, don't you dare try anything with my ship!" Smoker retorted.

"...get them off the island." Everyone started from Crow's words. "It's against my principles to murder, so get them away from the island. Problem solved. Sirocco."

"I will execute this!" Sirocco bowed as he dragged the tied-up captain off. "Maybe we can drop them in a typhoon first..."

"Anyway, Yusei," Crow turned to the dark-haired mechanic. "I got a problem."

* * *

"He's here! He's here!"

"Yay!"

"The fires of my soul are burning, hot!"

"Well, let's all try to calm down and arrange a welcome party, okay?"

"Roar."

"Yes, Debris, we know. Be patient, my own. When Yusei comes, he will take his place with us... a place in immortality."

"He well, Mistress? He is stubborn..."

"He is ours. Why ever not?"


	5. IV: Cards for Black Feathers

**IV: Cards for Black Feathers**

He was drifting in a cold that went all the way down to his bones. The waters of the Grand Line, or the Spirit World, he knew not which, were around him, and their current carried him ever onwards, drifting to who knows where. His own immediate concern was the soul-chilling cold. Perhaps, he mused, this was what the cold of the underworld felt like to Brook.

_Go to Kurohane Island, you will find something important there._

Yusei wondered why did he ever obey the word of the King of Games. Oh, right.

As he watched the shadows of the waters drift and undulate and close around him as he himself was rendered unable to move, he wondered, privately, how exactly did all this happen?

* * *

"So this is the Thousand Sunny!"

Franky preened at Crow's honest praise. "Right? It's a _super_ ship! I made it with my own hands!"

"It's got an aquarium!" Luffy called. "Yusei!"

"I'm fixing the Blackbird now, you go ahead first!" Yusei smiled as he patched up the solder work. "Good. Now..."

The engine's purr got Aki to sit up from admiring the star-laden sky. "It's fixed!"

"It's got an aquarium! Oh, you fixed it!" Crow realised. "As expected of Yusei!"

"So, what are you intending to do?" Yusei asked as Crow proceeded to smooth his hands over the Blackbird. "There's no way back to Neo Domino."

"There is," Crow firmly informed the Head Signer. "Black Feather told me. In this Messiah Draconis, there are six main islands connected by a body of water." He pulled out a piece of paper, revealing a crude sketch of the Mark of the Legendary Signer and the six islands. "Starlight Road," he pointed to the head. "Then the Crimson Fire," A finger traced where the wings would be. "The Isle of Fairies," the front claw, "The Isle of Life," within the claw's hold. "Black Garden," the back claw. "And finally, at the other end of the archipelago is Kurohane Island."

"Starlight Road..." Yusei echoed, tracing the map through the Mark. "Kurohane Island is protected by Black Feather Dragon... so, Black Garden has Black Rose Dragon, the Isle of Fairies overseen by Ancient Fairy Dragon, the Isle of Life by Life Stream Dragon, Crimson Fire by Red Demon's Dragon, and..." the words stuck in his mouth.

"Starlight Road, when Stardust Dragon is," Crow finished. "Black Feather told me, that in Starlight Road is a road through the stars that reach all worlds. Using this road, and the Go that Aki came with, you guys can return! You can return to your life before piracy! I mean, a two hundred and ten million Beli bounty! That's crazy! If you're caught, you'll die!"

"But, I can't just leave the crew," Yusei protested. "I..."

"Aki isn't going to leave without you," Crow pointed out. "She left a successful job with the hospital to chase you, and now you want her to become a pirate too? Jack, Rua, Ruka, they wait for you even when two years have passed already! Your disappearance... Rua dedicates every opening duel to you. Ruka still wishes for you to return! The kids miss you too! Neo Domino City, even the Satellite, they're waiting for their shooting star to return! Neo Domino City still awaits its hero to return!"

"I don't know..." Yusei looked down, fiddling with the controls of the Blackbird before wandering to the deck of the Sunny. "They say that they're pirates, but, in this world... it's a lot like our past Neo Domino City. Maybe worse..."

"What are you saying?" Crow asked.

"I can't leave without telling Luffy San..." Yusei glanced as the rippling waters surrounding the island and the star-filled skies. "Going back is what I want to do, but-!"

"Yusei?" Crow blinked as the composed Yusei gripped the railings.

"When you guys left, I swore to protect Neo Domino City and make it more wonderful," Yusei whispered. "About five years later, I found myself in a different world, in an ocean called the Grand Line, right in front of the Thousand Sunny. Luffy San, without knowing my past, accepted me, and we fought zombies together-"

"Zombies?"

"-and I was there when he invaded Marineford, we helped him escape against all odds to win," Yusei continued. "Two years... I got too used to always hiding, always running, always fighting... this crew needs me."

"We need you too!" Crow argued.

"What are you talking about?" Luffy drawled, bouncing over to grin stupidly at the Blackbird. "Can I ride it?"

"Hell no!" Crow retorted, a tic already forming on his temple. "Dammit! Okay, let's do this! Luffy! I'll wager you! Yusei and I will duel. If he wins, he does whatever he wants. If I win, you let Yusei and Aki off the ship and the crew. Got it?"

"Crow!" Yusei argued.

"Crow!" Aki started in surprise. "This...!"

"How interesting," Robin commented.

"It's not!" Nami protested. "This is..."

"A challenge against the captain..." Zoro drawled.

"Right on the ship too..." Franky drawled.

"So, Luffy, what will you do...?" Sanji blew a plume of smoke, a new lit cigarette in hand.

"Yohoho!" Brook commented.

"Okay," Luffy grinned. "Do what you want. Yusei's gonna win anyway, right?"

"Are you underestimating me?" Crow barked at him. "Bastard..."

"Yusei, awe us!" Luffy smirked. "Brook, music!"

"Yohoho! As you say, captain!" Brook took up the guitar.

"The format is Standing Duel!" Crow decided. "No offence, but you and I both know you're better at Riding."

"I'm good at Standing Duels as well," Yusei glared as he retrieved his deck.

"Yeah, but I don't fancy going out to the forest at night, do you?" Crow pointed out, pulling his own DuelDisk.

"Duel!" both called as they stood on opposite ends of the deck.

"I'll take the first turn!" Yusei interjected. "Draw! Crow, if you truly insist on controlling my path, then I'll fight back with all my strength!"

"Then let's see that strength," Crow smirked. "Or did two years not Duelling make you rusty?"

"I activate the Spell card, Tuning." Yusei's voice had gone cold. "With this, I can add a Synchron Tuner monster from my deck to my hand. Then I send the top card from my deck to the graveyard. I choose Junk Synchron, and then, I mill Doppelwarrior to the graveyard."

"I normal summon Junk Synchron! When this card is summoned successfully, I can special summon a level two or lower monster from the graveyard in face-up defence position. Come back, Doppelwarrior!" Yusei revived the special-forces monster.

"Junk Warrior?" Crow muttered.

"I'm tuning my level two Doppelwarrior with my level three Junk Synchron," Yusei continued, no heat but a curious excitement in his tone. "Clustering stars will become a new force. Become the path its light shines up! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior!"

"Woo hoo!" Luffy yelled as the blue-armoured warrior appeared.

"The effect of Doppelwarrior activates!" Yusei announces. "When it's used a Synchro Material, I can special summon two level one Doppel Tokens in attack position to my field. Then, Junk Warrior's effect activates. When this monster is Synchro summoned, Junk Warrior gains the attack of all level two or lower monster in my field. My two level one Doppel tokens have 400 attack each. Therefore, Junk Warrior's attack is now thirty-one hundred."

"A three-thousand plus attack in one turn?" Aki's eyes bugged out.

"Now I discard Level Eater from my hand to special summon Quickdraw Synchron from my hand." Yusei put away the card as the gun-toting tuner appears. "I activate Level Eater's effect from my graveyard. By reducing Junk Warrior's level by one, I special summon Level Eater from my graveyard."

"What's that for?" Nami asked Aki, confused as the tiny insect appeared again.

"Another Synchro?" Aki guessed.

"I'm tuning my two level one Doppel Tokens, and my level one Level Eater with my level five Quickdraw Synchron! Clustering hopes will evoke a new horizon. Become the path its light shines upon! _Synchro Summon! Dash onward, Road Warrior!_ "

"Another three-thousand plus hitter..." Aki incredulously muttered as the golden warrior appeared. "He's serious..."

"Road Warrior's effect activates!" Yusei calls further. "I special summon a level two or lower warrior or machine-type monster from my deck. Come forth, Turbo Synchron! Level Eater's effect activates. I reduce Road Warrior's level by one to special summon it from the graveyard. I'm tuning my level one Level Eater with level one Turbo Synchron! Clustering wishes will call out a new speed's horizon. Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! The power of hope, Synchro Tuner, Formula Synchron!"

"Accel Synchro?" Crow incredulously repeated, already intimidated by the presence of the two heavy-hitters on the field. "But, Stardust Dragon is not on the field..."

"Formula Synchron's effect activates!" Yusei continued. "When it's Synchro summoned, I draw a card. I activate Level Eater's effect again. By reducing Road Warrior's level to six, I special summon Level Eater in defence position."

"Synchro Tuner?" Aki echoed. "Two, four, six... _twelve_?"

"Level twelve Accel Synchro?" Crow twitched. "What exactly are you-?"

"Crow, you asked for all my power, and this is it!" Yusei finally broke. "Tuning my level six Road Warrior, level four Junk Warrior, level two Synchro Tuner Formula Synchron!" Yusei announced, all three monsters glowing and his own right arm burning. "A new state, Top Clear Mind! Gathering stars becomes one, as new bonds will illuminate the future! Become the path its light shines upon!"

"What?" Nami yelped as the Sunny began to rock fiercely and waves crashed against the . "This...!"

"Don't tell me!" Robin started. "This is..."

"Yusei's power!" Crow muttered, honestly awed and slightly terrified at the prospect of facing the monster. "Clear Mind... no, even higher!"

" _The light of evolution!_ " Yusei called as blinding white light transformed into a false darkness. " _Shooting Quasar Dragon!_ "

Something glowed in bright blue eyes as false darkness outlined a silhouette, something grey and white and draconic with three tails and two huge claws and-

" _IT'S WAAAAAAAAAY HUGE!_ " Usopp, Chopper and Luffy screamed as roars echoed in answer and the Thousand Sunny began to rock about before the dragon's majesty, because yes, it's just that awesome.

"Shooting Quasar Dragon, first turn!" Crow muttered, looking way up to the creature. "Top Clear Mind... Yusei, you-!"

"Enough already! Yusei, stop!" Nami called, holding onto the railings for dear life. "Franky, Coup de Burst!"

"Got it!" Franky hollered, already at the console. "Ready! We're going to fly!"

"Yusei, call it off!" Aki screamed, directly as light gathered behind the ship and the Sunny took to the skies. Somehow, the heavy rigging snapped off, unfurling the sails as the rope snapped off and flew towards Yusei, the recoil enough to take him off his feet and off the ship... to only the waters and the dragon below him.

"Yusei!" Crow yelled at the dazed handyman. "Yusei!"

Dazed eyes snapped open.

" _Crow!_ " was the only reply before they heard a splash.

"YUSEI!" Crow's bellow could be heard across Kurohane Island as the Sunny landed across the island with a splash.

* * *

_There was an end coming, there was nothing to do but hope against all hope, and someone prayed for salvation..._

_So the first streaked across the skies in a blaze of light._

_One wished to rule over all that he surveyed, with a iron-clad fist of power for its very pursuit..._

_And the second broke from the depths of fire._

_A third wished to destroy everything within the pitch-black flowers, never caring either for enemy or ally..._

_Thus the third bloomed within the dark flowers of death._

_Another wished for an isolated world of dreams and sunlight, hidden within green forests with only the Wild Magic..._

_So the fourth spread delicate wings of light in a blaze of eternal sunshine._

_Someone spread his arms and wished to fly in the pitch-black winds of the storms and the white of the breeze..._

_And the fifth was born with black wings of resolved hope._

_The youngest played with the pieces remaining, a game of piecing together remnants to make something whole..._

_And the sixth was pieced together from the remnants of fate._

_One day, the youngest grew up, to take his sword and fight, and his armour shattered, revealing his true form and true self..._

_The last was born from the remains of youth, into the miracle of life._

* * *

About six hours after the Sunny's flight across Kurohane Island and Yusei's impromptu dive into the waters of Kurohane Island, Black Feather alighted at the very top of the Dragon's Eye Mountain, directly at the end of Starlight Road where the eye would be in the Head. Like every part of her, her clothings remained flawlessly untouched despite the harsh winds that blew across the islands, unreal in their perfection, and very much like black and white wings stained wine-red in dim light.

"You're late," a red-armoured tyrant in elaborate vestments growled as she walked into a great hall of sorts, almost like a throne room of crystals and ice and starlight.

"Well, I had guests to entertain, you unsophisticated snob," She retorted. "Just because no one visits you in Crimson Hell doesn't mean you have to snap at everything in sight, Red Demon."

"It's Crimson Fire, as you damn well know!" He flared back.

"Enough already," A black-armoured red-cloaked knight, complete with red-bladed sword, muttered at them. "Don't force me to intercede, both of you."

"Here, in Starlight Road, Black Rose?" Black Feather snorted in a rather unladylike fashion. " _She_ would kill you before that happened. _We_ would kill you before that happened."

"Well, we're all here, right?" A smaller green-haired girl in a bright-blue gown edged with butterfly lace with actual great wings flaring out behind her tried to dissuade both of them. "Let's just stop arguing..."

"You that because you're not involved, Ancient Fairy!" Red Demon roared back. "We all know you've got a temper to match!"

"Oi, don't yell at Ancient Fairy!" Another smaller one, this one a boy in blocky, colourful armour and equally colourful weapons, defended. "I'll kick your ass!"

"Not in that form, Power Tool!"

A feminine voice gave a delicate cough. "Ahem."

The whole hall fell silent.

"...that Stardust scares me sometimes," Red Demon muttered.

"Her owner kicked the ass of _yours,_ several times," Black Feather snipped back. "Plus, she's got more tricks than any of us, and you know it."

"What's that?" the now-human Power Tool pointed to a large spread nest, roughly composed of what seemed to be plenty of silken material. How and where did a dragon get silk in the middle of an archipelago was a mystery for the ages – or perhaps not, given that dragons were hoarders by nature – but, silk it was, and silk it was surrounding a very familiar human figure with dark skin, black hair, and a yellow tattoo marking his left cheek.

Black Feather gave an audible breath.

"Be quiet," the same tinkling voice whispered, the order echoing in the room anyway.

Seated beside the unconscious form of Yusei Fudo was a beauty in dignified blue-tinted white, darker blue on the breastplate she wore over the robe. Her forehead was crested with a diadem of crystal, cold to the eye, and her blue eyes stood out against pale skin as pools of sapphire. Herself, she was a vision of human beauty, yet everyone conscious fully knew that the owner of this form was nowhere near human. Perhaps she _were,_ once upon a time, but the other five occasionally thought Stardust the personification of the Dragon Star itself. Who, no, what other Duel Monster could command such a high seat within Messiah Draconis?

Only Stardust, the bond between them, they knew. The bond reinforced by her masters, her owners, the very parts of her own soul... that had led to _that_. An end to their everlasting mission due to the human that lay in the world of dreams before them.

"Well, I was going to say that your boy fell into the ocean, but I see you picked him up anyway," Black Feather nonchalantly began.

"How fortuitous that Stardust Phantom was scouting the waters around," the queen of Starlight Road agreed. "It's as if fate himself delivered him into my hands." Said cold hands lightly touched its nails over the man's face.

The gloved hand laid out beside her moved as the being shifted in his sleep. "Just a little more, Stardust... Junk Warrior, back Stardust up..."

A tic appeared in the temple of Red Demon. "Are you dreaming of beating _me_ again?"

Just a little closer, she nudged the young man next to her. "Yusei... my shooting star... and my own."

"Stardust... you're... awfully possessive," the normally silent Black Rose muttered. "You've barely once pummelled Red Demon. What is going on?"

"Maybe I should call his friends over," Black Feather stated in trepidation.

"If they think he drowned, they will leave him here," Stardust laid her hand over his eyes. "My wandering star, all alone in the world... come join us."

It was Ancient Fairy that broke the ensuing silence. "Stardust... are you intending to keep him here?"

"Why ever would I not?"

There was an immediate uproar at her words.

"But he's human!" Ancient Fairy protested. "He's got a future, free of the Crimson Dragon, and if he didn't do anything like that crazy stunt he would never get the Mark back! They no longer need-!"

Red Demon's Dragon scoffs, the only other of the ancients who could comprehend her pain. "Do whatever you want. His destiny's over, that makes him open season."

"Red Demon!" Ancient Fairy gasps in shock at him. "How can you-?"

" _Ara_ , he's kinda cute," Black Feather chuckles from behind. "How nice..." Her face falls. "Still... are you sure, Stardust?"

"His memories are being scattered to the winds," Stardust's voice sounds like glass bells as it tinkers on. "Once he forgets, it is true and irreversible, a way for one to step in both worlds and all worlds and remain nowhere but here. There is however, the shards of memory that makes up his heart. If they are pieced together, the bonds of memories chain him down and render him unable to fly free."

Something crystalline cracked as the beauty produced six glimmering shards in her hands, each glowing with some inner light of the rainbow's colours.

"With permission from all of you, each of the six shards will be hidden all over the archipelago," her voice was now calm. "Six shards to anchor him, a final to form him, and full circle is reached."

A collective gasp was heard from the dragons turned human.

"That...?" Ancient Fairy gasped. "That..."

"Only the best for Yusei..." the laughter turned discordant, harmony disrupted by something darker. "Yusei..."

"Only if you fight me fairly at my next challenge," Red Demon claimed a piece.

"Phrasing it like that, you're not giving us a choice," Power Tool grabs one. "Hey, maybe we'll get along with the Deformers!"

"I... only because we are comrades," Ancient Fairy took one gingerly, tucking it away safely.

"If I claim this, I will be turning it over," Black Feather grinned. "Let's play a game, see whose tricks are better."

Throughout the exchange, Black Rose said nothing.

"Well?" Red Demon turned expectantly to the black knight. "Black Rose?"

"Black Rose?" the lady tilted her head lightly, eyes boring a hole with gaze alone.

"You once shattered herself to get past me to the mistress, and I thought that perhaps you would know that we cannot interfere in the lives of our charges without permission, that they cannot grow up walled by us," the knight stoically replied. "I will take one, if only to use it to shatter you once more, that the Stardust I know will return."

"Amongst the stars, there lies the true everlasting," Stardust answered. "An illusion of permanence, no more, no less, but a powerful illusion that pierces the hearts and minds and binds them all together under one sky. Yet, darkness must fall to see the stars dance. So must my Yusei embrace the darkness to shine brilliantly in light with us again."

It was an unusually solemn Black Feather and Black Rose that took to the skies, the shards of memory seemingly heavy in their manifested robes, a heavy responsibility borne in one piece. The solemnity remained, even as her bare feet landed on the deck of the cheerful pirate ship currently on shore, the friends and comrades of the boy already searching for him desperately in the hope that remained of uncertainty.

"I know where he is," the Lady Black Feather decides and declares to the pirates, her face set. "He's alive... for how long is a different story."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I mainly followed the idea set by the Otherworlder in the fic 'The Trouble with the Guest List'. Stardust, Ancient Fairy and Black Feather Dragon is female, and the rest are male... You know, concerning Black Rose Dragon and Aki, this puts a whole new dimension to the 'dragon guarding the girl'. Yeah, Stardust seems a bit psycho, but it shall all be explained soon... yes, it will. Stay tuned!


	6. V: Blackwing - Bombardment

**V: Blackwing – Bombardment**

The Shark Submerge III was one of the few vehicles attached to the Thousand Sunny that was seeing regular use now, as the 'soldiers' manned by the Straw Hats combed the murky waters for their crew. As it rose through the surface, the hatch popped open to reveal a solemn Robin and Chopper getting out.

"Any sign?" Nami called from the deck. At the expressions, the navigator sighed as well. "Well, better than _him_..."

" _Gomu Gomu no... Ami!_ " Luffy's fingers laced together to form a rubber net stretched from the sea to the deck as the captain hauled up another bunch of seaweed. "Still no Yusei! _Gomu Gomu no Ami!_ "

"This is really _un-_ super," Franky complained as he kept a lookout with binoculars.

Tentacles poked onboard as Aki hauled herself from then Mini Merry II to the deck. "No Yusei," Aki relayed as Sanji and Ace leapt onboard after her.

"Damn, it's been six hours," Sanji growled, lighting his six cigarette. "That guy... couldn't have died..."

"Still nothing!" Zoro called, already back from his solo ride on the Shiro Mokuba I.

"Luffy, stop hauling seaweed up!" Usopp yelled at him, pulling up a net of his own. "The currents must've carried his body off..."

"Yusei...!" Chopper kept crying as he helped haul up the net. "Where are you, Yusei?"

"At this time, he must have been eaten by a big fish," Robin commented.

"Yohohoho! Robin San is so morbid, my eyes are popping out!" Brook hollered down from the crow's nest. "Ah, but I have no eyes! Yusei Kun, are you out there? Are we going to find your body?"

"He's not dead!" Crow snapped up, from where he was also hauling up nets. "And why are we hauling nets? He could be on land already!"

"From the currents, this spot is the ideal place for him to float to," Nami answered, her brow furrowed. "If we throw nets out, we can tangle him in those and haul him in."

"I know where he is," the Lady Black Feather declared, her face set as both bare feet landed on the deck railings.

"Yusei's alive? Yay!" Chopper immediately brightened. "Where?"

"He's alive? I knew he couldn't have died!" Luffy grinned at the news.

"He's alive..." Black Feather confirmed. "For how long is a different story."

Silence met the crew.

"So, where is he?" Ace drawled.

"He is held within the Dragon's Eye Mountain, within Starlight Road, and slowly he will forget," Black Feather answered, glancing only at a stunned Crow. "The one who holds him wants him to remain here... forever."

That declaration prompted an uproar from the crew.

"He's held prisoner?" Nami exclaimed, shocked.

"Who?" Aki snapped, strapping her DuelDisk on.

"He can't!" Luffy stood up angrily. "Who's it? I'll kick their asses!"

"Yusei's held prisoner? That's bad!" Chopper screamed.

"Yusei needs our help!" Crow got to his feet, face set. "Black Feather, who did it?"

Black Feather sighed. "That is... the queen of Starlight Road, host of the Mountain, and leader of the whole island, like I..."

Crow and Aki stood stunned into silence as the answer came to them.

"Stardust... Dragon...?" Crow murmured. "That's... impossible..."

"Stardust Dragon?" Usopp echoed. "That large dragon that fought with us against Oz... I don't believe it!"

"It's the truth," Black Feather murmured. "Stardust Dragon, she... took his memory, and shattered it into six shards. I have one here."

The glimmering crystal shone in her palm as she continued. "The other shards are scattered across Messiah Draconis. Without his memory, Fudo Yusei will slowly die off until he meets the true death and becomes like us."

"Like... us?" Luffy echoed.

"We are Duel spirits, bound to this place, and so cannot leave unless with our purpose," Black Feather answered. "In your human terms, once he completely forgets, he will be gone to you forever, bound to Stardust Dragon till the end of time."

"That's crazy!" Crow exclaimed. "How? Why?"

"I don't know," Black Feather dropped the shard to his palm. "Stardust has gone through so much more than I will ever comprehend with Fudo Yusei... perhaps she just wants to keep him forever."

"So, that white dragon is the one behind all this," Ace commented. "How do we rescue him?"

"Right now, Fudo Yusei is sleeping," Black Feather explained. "He will continue to do so as he forgets, unless we gather the shards of his memory and bring them to him. Once they are near enough to him, the shards will bind together to reform his vital memories and he will then wake, thus breaking Stardust's spell over him."

"I see," Sanji nodded. "We have one shard already. We just need five more, then."

"The other five are scattered across the archipelago with the other five dragons," Black Feather told them. "Black Rose Dragon in Black Garden, Ancient Fairy Dragon in the Isle of Fairies, Life Stream Dragon with her, Red Demon's Dragon in Crimson Fire, and Stardust Dragon in Starlight Road. They are dragons, we cannot easily retrieve the shards from them."

"Signer Dragons," Aki considered. "So, we will have to fight the other five Signer Dragons, right?"

Zoro smirked. "Sounds like a plan."

"Agreed," Robin stood.

"I'll get the Pirate Bento," Sanji muttered, heading for the kitchen.

"If those d- dragons want Yusei, they'll have to defeat this Usopp Sama first!" Usopp boasted.

"Like hell I'm going to let go of the most reasonable man aboard!" Nami yelled.

"Like hell I'm going to let go of my nakama!" Luffy raged.

"Well, I still owe the man, so I'll do this," Ace smirked, holding his cowboy hat on his head.

"Super! I'm not letting go of our handyman!" Franky posed. "Time to roll out!"

"Everything else can be left for later!" Crow cracked his knuckles. "Let's rescue Yusei!"

"As your Signer Dragon, of course I'll side with you, Crow," Black Feather answered as she transformed, her sleek feathers gleaming black and white.

"Men!" Luffy ordered. "Prepare for battle! We've got a comrade to rescue!"

"YEAH!"

* * *

"Right, so this is the map of Messiah Draconis," Crow pointed. "We can't take the sea route to Dragon's Eye thanks to the sea creatures and monsters along that, and there's no way to cut across the archipelago without being ambushed. That's why, we're going to take the overland route to Starlight Road," He traced the length of the dragon. "Our opponents are five, Ancient Fairy, Black Rose, Life Stream, Red Demon, and Stardust Dragon, all of them strong opponents."

"Heh?" Zoro smirked. "Why don't we split up? Each of us split up, collect a shard, and then meet at Dragon's Eye."

"Each island have their special climate and inhabitants," Black Feather then took over. "Aside from that, each island is specifically tailored to suit each of our abilities, and each have their own strategies. You are all strong, I acknowledge. However, I can say right now, that hardly any of you can take on a Signer Dragon and win."

"What? I'm strong!" Luffy complained indignantly. "Bring them on!"

Black Feather sighed, before a wing lashed out and Luffy kissed the floor. "Ow..."

"Fast!" Nami breathed.

"I totally didn't see that..." Zoro growled.

"I am the third strongest in sheer attack power amongst the Signer Dragons," Black Feather elaborated. "However, even I would be wary of taking on Stardust, who is weaker than me. Stardust has the ability of evolution, more so than even Red Demon's Dragon. Her knowledge, tactics, and ability is powerful."

"We know," Aki interjected. "However, we are on a time limit... how long do we have?"

"Until sunset, maybe longer," Black Feather considered. "After that, he is gone. Sent to the stars. That's why, listen to my rules."

All the pirates leaned forward to listen.

"Facing the Black Garden, if you can survive the onslaught of Black Rose, you win." Black Feather seriously stated. "In Ancient Forest, fighting is absolutely not allowed, that's why you must find some other way to get past Ancient Fairy Dragon. Against Life Stream Dragon, the best way is to hit hard and fast. Fighting Red Demon's Dragon, you absolutely cannot take a defensive stance, or you will die. Finally, against Stardust... save for battle, you absolutely cannot destroy anything else. Got that?"

"What's the point?" Luffy dismissively replied. "Full speed! To Black Garden!"

"Aye, captain!" Franky steered the ship.

"We are bound by rules of combat, so you must obey the same rules as well," Black Feather murmured as the crew leapt into action, her words heard only by a dark-haired pirate in an orange hat. "Because if you break these rules, the shadows will take you..."

* * *

Black Garden was its exact namesake, a large garden of black roses and cherub statues covered in vines, perfuming the air with some heavy sweet smell. As the Straw Hats washed up the white strip that was its beach, Luffy leapt into a thicket of rose bushes, wincing as the thorn-laden vines wrapped around him.

"What's this?" Luffy yelped as the vines scratched and poked at rubber flesh. "I feel... like half of myself..."

"Black Garden is a garden that drains all life that enters it to flourish," Aki indicated a brilliant red rose about a metre in diameter flowering nearby, safely standing on the deck. "This garden does not discriminate, draining life to feed a seed in the soil that would bloom upon the garden's destruction."

"Drains... life?" Usopp stuttered. "I don't want to enter it anymore..."

"Me too..." Chopper whimpered.

"A life-draining garden isn't going to stop me!" Zoro leapt into the green as well, vines shooting out to wrap about him and dig their thorns into flesh before any swords could cut at them.

"So, even the _marimo_ couldn't be fast enough," Sanji remarked. "Aki _sensei_ , how do we enter the garden without these things binding us?"

"Ara," Robin murmured, pointing as Ace tethered on the deck railings.

"Let's see which one is stronger, my fire, or your garden," Ace smirked grimly, aiming. " _Chuya no Okaji_!"

The orange flames lapped at vines bound to wrists and legs, and soon Luffy and Zoro were free and running from the resulting conflagration as the flames spread and began to wilt from the heat.

"Eh? The scent's changed..." Chopper sniffed.

Aki's glanced at a wilting vine. "This... where's the third flower? The third red rose must be somewhere!"

"There!' Nami pointed to a blooming rose where Ace was setting fire to vines curling around his legs.

"Ace!" Luffy grinned, the grin fading upon a loud roar echoing about the garden as a large serpentine head poked through to glare at the crew with golden eyes narrowed. A mouth with sharp teeth bared, exposing a purple tongue as florid red wings and vines made itself apparent.

"It's a dragon!" Nami and Usopp yelled in fear.

"You're... Black Rose!" Aki leapt down to the beach, slapping away the vines. "Come!"

The serpentine head cracked once, before it was faded, gone, standing n its place a knight in black armour and a red cape similar to those of the dragon's wings and red tassels dangled down from its helmet as it gave a deep bow.

"My Lady Signer," the knight kissed her hand and let go with a sweeping bow. "I have been waiting."

"Who the hell are you, bastard?" Sanji was raging. "Don't touch Aki-sensei so carelessly!"

"Black Rose!" Black Feather landed on bare feet again. "Are you an enemy, or are you an ally?"

"He is my dragon, Black Rose," Aki nodded.

"I am forever an ally of the Lady I serve," the knight stood tall. "As I am an ally to us this day. Stardust is acting oddly, Black Feather."

"Yes, she's gone off the deep end, we know," Crow impatiently retorted. "Then? She's crazy."

"Insanity cannot be used to judge us Duel spirits, who have a different insanity to your textbook definition." the knight answered. "Stardust is acting perfectly sane if she were just a dragon. However, she is not, she is Stardust Dragon, first amongst the servants of the Dragon Star and a retainer of the Crimson Dragon. Black Feather, I have never known Stardust to do this. Imprisoning her own within his mind would suit a Fiend, not her."

"I've been thinking so as well," Black Feather grudgingly admitted.

"You mean... Stardust might not be doing this willingly?" Chopper gasped, relief evident in his voice. "There might be someone else?"

"Black Rose, will you help me?" Aki entreated.

"As my lady says, I an unable to deny," Black Rose answered, reaching into his armour. "As a token of faith."

"A shard of memory!" Nami gasped as the glittering crystal joined its brother in her hands. "This is... Yusei's memory..."

"A vital memory, which makes him what he is," Black Rose solemnly answered. "A formative memory, a memory of bliss or pain... either way, a treasure that makes Fudo Yusei the human he is."

"Treasure..." Nami murmured, fingering the shards. In the wan sunlight, they seemed to glitter like twin stars.

"Come, we must carry on," Black Rose indicated to the Sunny. "There are three more shards to gather before we face Stardust."

"What, so he's an ally," Zoro sheathed his swords. "And I wanted to fight him too..."

"Why?" Black Feather murmured to him as bustle broke out. "You could have easily pleaded something else."

"Stardust shattered me for my lady when she could not see past the illusion of pain and anger," the knight solemnly replied. "Perhaps, too, Stardust is trapped in an illusion within her heart. I hope to shatter that, and with it, open he doors to welcome the Stardust we knew and know."

"Ah," Black Feather sighed. "So do I. I wonder if Red Demon knows as well."

"He suspects, I suppose, but he keeps his own mind," the knight answered. "Who knows with him."

"So, where to next, Black Feather?" Nami called.

"The Gemini Isles, composed of the Isle of Life and the Isle of Fairies," Black Feather pointed to the claw holding a heart faintly outlined on the map. "An enemy we cannot fight head-on, the strongest guardian... Ancient Fairy Dragon!"


	7. VI: Delta Crow - Anti Reverse

**VI: Delta Crow – Anti Reverse**

"My Lady?"

Locks of snow white hair twirled in long fingers as watery deep blue eyes focused upon the cloaked spell-caster in acknowledgement. "Phantom who carries my name, servant mine."

"Lady Black Feather and Knight Black Rose have defected to their Signer masters," the phantom reported. "Two of the shards have fallen to the pirates."

"As expected," the lady mused. "They will side with their Signer against the world if need be, as Black Rose has proven. Well, then, as for the guards?"

"The Warriors are keep an eye out in the lowlands, and Junk Warrior in particular has requested that the Synchrons come to see their master," The Phantom continued. "Chevalier de Fleur has also volunteered her services."

"Indeed? That is good news," Stardust mused. "As for the visit, that is an idea. A very good idea. Our master does love his monsters, after all."

"My Lady?" the Phantom began. "You have expressed doubts over the Junk Warrior's opinion of this..."

"In the end, the Junk Warrior wants the best for Yusei, as do we," Stardust stroked the sleeping man's brow lightly with her nail. "If presented with the choice of him dying while we fade into memory when we could stop it, the choice is obvious."

"I see... the Xiaolong has laid low to ambush at the valley."

"Tell him not to do anything rash. He is required and a part of us, after all," Stardust frowned lightly, the expression hardly marring her features as she gazed through crystal towards the darkening skies approaching high noon. "Stardust Phantom..."

"Yes, My Lady?" the Phantom turned back to her.

"Is it better to die and fade, or live in happiness amongst the unchanging?" a small breath exhaled, crystallizing above the sleeping man's head.

The Phantom was silent for a moment. "That is a question I cannot answer. It would depend on the perspective of the individual, I suppose, My Lady?"

"Of course..." the dragon-turned-human sighed, humming as she combed through dark gold-streaked hair. "Go, one who bears my name, servant mine. Prepare for war, ring the bells. Stars are gathering."

* * *

"So, shouldn't we split up?" Zoro repeated again as they approached one part of the Isle of Fairies.

"This Isle of Fairies is completely empty," Nami complained as they docked on a pure white beach. "There's only green for miles around."

"This is the Ancient Forest, a land that places everything out in the open and absolutely does not tolerate conflict," Black Feather noted. "Fighting Ancient Fairy is not the problem, it's the land itself, and I cannot fight her. Since this is connected to almost every island directly, I suppose we could split up... but..."

"Why?" Zoro drawled.

"If Signer Dragon fights Signer Dragon like that, this whole island might go under the ocean," Black Feather indicated to the land with a single digit.

"That is, if it even comes to that," Black Rose stood on the stern, pointing to the majestic spire of the Dragon's Eye Mountain. Black dots were gathering around the top, further than the eye could see.

"Awesome..." Luffy breathed at the high-reaching spire of the Mountain. "We have to go all the way up?"

Usopp glanced up with his binoculars. "That's... a lot of..."

"All allies of Stardust," Black Feather bared her teeth. "That one... although we Signer Dragons cannot directly fight, it does not mean that our underlings cannot fight."

"I must stay to protect my Lady," Black Rose answered.

"I can take them all on with the Black Feather Clan," Black Feather smirked as she spread her arms. "I am the boss of Kurohane Island, after all. If I cannot match even Stardust in allies... then how can I call myself a Signer Dragon? Crow, what do you think?"

"Before we talk about taking them on, we've got to get the shards first," Crow reminded her. "I don't know any of you guys' abilities, but I know the weakness of the Signer Dragons. Ancient Fairy is the weakest of them all, but the forest doesn't allow conflict, so we need someone who can battle indirectly."

"Nami is quite capable of that," Robin smiled as she suggested. "I can hold down Ancient Fairy Dragon as she attacks, and Brook... perhaps this Ancient Fairy Dragon appreciates music."

"Robin!" Nami exclaimed.

"Yohohoho, Robin San is scary!" Brook squealed.

"Okay..." Crow sweat-dropped. "Life Stream Dragon..." he stopped. "No, Power Tool Dragon. That crazy docking fellow..."

"Docking?" Usopp and Chopper responded eagerly.

"Docking?" Luffy sat up, stars in his eyes. "Men, we're going after the docking dragon!"

"... Red Demon's Dragon is the toughest of them all," Crow finally concluded. "So... Aki, which do you want, Red Demon's or Life Stream?"

"Life Stream means Deformers... then, I'll go with the team heading for Crimson Fire, along with Ace, Zoro, Luffy and Franky." Aki decided. "Sanji, Usopp and Chopper can handle Life Stream. Nami, Brook, Crow and Robin can deal with Ancient Fairy."

"Hang on, why do we need five people to handle one dragon?" Zoro snapped.

"Because, Red Demon's Dragon is also capable of evolution, like Stardust," Black Feather answered. "That's why, depending on how you handle Red Demon's Dragon alone, you may or may not have to fight Scar-Red Nova Dragon. In terms of sheer attack power, Red Demon's Dragon is also the one with the most attack power, and thus the most difficult to take down after Stardust."

"I wanna see the docking dragon,so I'll switch with cook-bro there," Franky drawled.

"Against the whole Monster Quartet, this Red Demon's Dragon is so dead," Usopp muttered to Chopper.

"Uh," Chopper solemnly nodded.

"Oi, since when did the trio become a quartet?" Nami asked.

"With Ace there, we have three monsters and one super-monster," Usopp pointed out. "And only Ace and Aki have experience actually fighting monsters, Ace especially, plucking that... erm, Fallen Angel?"

"Darklord Edeh Arae," Aki pointed out. "Two thousand three hundred attack power. In comparison, Red Demon's Dragon at three thousand attack power is magnitudes above that."

"Hee!" Both of them shook in fear.

"I'm so excited!" Luffy yelled. "Dragons, wait for me! I'll definitely get Yusei back!"

Overhead, thunder clapped and the tinkling sounds of broken crystal seemed to ring through the archipelago in answer.

* * *

"This place is relatively empty," Nami commented as all four of them walked through the Ancient Forest.

"Yohohoho, it's very quiet," Brook agreed.

"Hopefully some monster isn't there." Robin commented.

Crow blinked. "...that's kinda morbid..."

 _Boing,_ _boing._ All four stopped in their tracks as they beheld the round... rodent-like thing with a red ribbon tied onto its tail before them.

"Kuribon!" Crow exclaimed in recognition.

"Unicorn!" Nami stumbled back at the glowing unicorn trotted to them from the trees, its blue mane and white coat shimmering with the sunlight prevalent across the forest.

"Sunlight Unicorn!" Crow recognised.

Brook's jaw dropped as something else followed the unicorn. "Unicorn San, look out! Behind you!"

"Lion!" Nami murmured in fear, as the white lion with the light brown mane approached them. "Lions _here...?_ "

"For a place that does not tolerate conflict, it still has a protector," Robin commented, backing away.

"That's... Regulus!" Crow realised. "Regulus, it's me! Crow!"

"So I gather, Crow," the lion answered.

"It talked!" Nami and Brook screamed.

"I am Regulus, servant to Ancient Fairy Dragon," the lion continued in a serious tone. "You must be the pirates Ancient Fairy Sama warned would approach. Come, Ancient Fairy Sama awaits."

"S- Should we...?" Nami stuttered. "It might eat us..."

"There's no other way," Crow snapped. "We'll just have to follow the talking lion... well, at least one of us won't become meat..."

"Eh?" Brook paused.

"See, a skeleton has no eat on its bones," Crow pointed out.

"...Hang on, isn't that just a little bit rude?" Brook shouted as the four followed Regulus. " _It's true, I'm just bones, but that's only because I've taken up an interest in dieting!_ "

"Right..." Crow drawled.

All speech between the pirates and the Duellist stopped as they approached their destination, and large butterfly wings unfurled themselves before the approaching pirates. Ancient Fairy dragon was indeed every bit as elegant as her name suggested, large butterfly wings delicate to the eye and slender snake-like body curled out in the sunlight. Her slender arms, each bearing an armoured gauntlet, supported her upper body as the small head, also armoured in a red helmet with sea-green tresses flowing down, she might have been a regal lady of the land instead of its dragon protector, and maybe she was both.

"Ah..." Brook's jaw dropped to the ground as almost everyone present stared uneasily as the draconic entity.

"Welcome to the Ancient Forest," the dragon's feminine voice echoed in some dreamy quality. "I am the protector of the forest, the Ancient Fairy Dragon. Ah, perhaps this form disturbs you all?"

"Well, we aren't quite used to talking to dragons..." Nami uneasily answered.

"I see. My apologies, my contact with humans has been very limited," some inner light shone from the dragon as it raised both arms to join hands...

… when the light faded, a slender young woman with flowing silvery green hair that reminded one of leaves under the moonlight remained. She wore a simple gown of blue and gold, elegant and classy and all the more regal by the one wearing it. Small red and gold accessories glimmered in the sunlight from her ears and hands, and the woman had some fae quality to herself as the lion approached her.

"My Lady, Ancient Fairy," he announced, the bass voice rumbling.

"Haa..." Brook started. "Your beauty is such that I have forgotten to breathe... not that I have lungs to breathe, my lady..."

"A- Ancient Fairy...?" Crow stuttered.

"Beautiful..." Nami murmured.

"Legend speaks of those fair folk of nature that hide from the eyes of men," Robin murmured. "The Aos Si, the Sidhe. They possessed some otherworldly beauty that lures mortals to obey their will. Ancient Fairy... Aos Si."

"This is merely a convenient form," the elegant woman motioned to herself. "Stardust is possessing of a human mask more alluring than this."

"There's one of greater beauty...? My lady," Brook stood, entirely serious. "May I please see your panties-?"

"Enough!" Nami boxed the skeleton in the afro. "So, you have a shard of Yusei's memory, right? We need it to rescue him."

"Ah, indeed I have it," Ancient Fairy answered. "The problem is, Stardust requested for me to hold onto it. I have an obligation to follow."

"Then, we have to defeat you for the shard, right?" Robin murmured.

"Ancient Fairy Sama!" Regulus the lion roared. "Let this servant fight in your place!"

"Regulus," the woman glanced down. "You alone cannot fight for me. As a dragon, my pride will not allow me to turn this down, yet the forest does not allow conflict." She considered. "You have a Duellist amongst you... in that case, I myself shall take the field."

"Ancient Fairy Sama!" Regulus protested.

"Do not forget," the woman's words had turned into something else, a dream about to sour into a nightmare. "In the end, no matter my kindness, no matter what warmth imparted from me, I am still a dragon, one of the legendary feared monsters."

All of them stepped back as large butterfly wings spread out. "In that case..."

" _Trienta Fleur_ ," Robin pronounced, as hands sprouted to incapacitate her.

"Interesting," Ancient Fairy took a hand in delicate fingers and crushed. All the hands disappeared thereafter, Robin stumbling back as she cradled her wrist. "And the forest..."

Leaves began to shake wildly as if an unseen wind had blown.

"What?" Nami exclaimed.

"The forest!" Crow ran towards Robin, pushing her out of the way as a beam of sunlight shone down on the spot she would have been standing in, lightly frying some of the grass.

"Hot!" Brook leapt out of the way.

"That... sunlight...!" Nami's voice shook at the realisation.

"Show me your resolve," the woman's words had never seemed this cruel. "I summon Dancing Fairy in defence, then, by the magic of the Dual Summon, I summon Sunny Pixie in attack, before setting up two reversed and end."

"Eh?" Robin murmured as two fairies appeared beside the dragon-turned-human. "Fairies?"

"This... is a duel!" Crow realised, activating his DuelDisk. "Draw! I summon Sirocco the Dawn!"

"Reversed, Bottomless Trap Hole," Ancient Fairy gave her unreadable smile.

Crow glared as Sirocco was swallowed into the formed hole by some formless slime. "Set a card, end."

"One more option," Ancient Fairy recited. "Dancing Fairy grants life of a thousand in my standby phase, and I summon Spirit of the Breeze in attack. With the Ancient Forest still in effect I place one more reversed and end."

"Draw!" Crow glared. "Pass."

"You fell into the trap!" Ancient Fairy giggled, something that sent Brook into something resembling fits of heartburn. "Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding one to return your set magic to your deck of tricks, trickster."

Crow twitched as fire scorched the ground at his feet and the card flew back to the top of his deck. "Crap... I'm wide open! Wait! We're wide open!"

"Draw, standby phase means I gain life of two thousand from my fairy subjects," Ancient Fairy gestured majestically. "Because it is discarded, the tuner monster The Fabled Cerburrel returns to my field."

"Tuner monster?" Crow echoed nervously as a tiny red three-headed puppy returned to the field.

"What is she doing?" Nami wailed.

"Then, I summon Kuribon," Ancient Fairy gestured as the tiny puff-ball appeared. "Tuning, Dancing Fairy and Kuribon to The Fabled Cerburrel for seven stars. The holy light of protection, shine now and become eternal life!"

"The holy light... it's coming!" Crow braced himself.

"Synchro Summon! A regal birth, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" the real Ancient Fairy spoke with relish as large butterfly wings identical to her own spread wide and the blue dragon appeared again.

"That blue dragon... why is it in two places at the same time...?" Nami sweated.

"This is merely a manifestation of my power," the real Ancient Fairy answered. "I then summon Fairy Archer. Tuning, Fairy Archer and Spirit of the Breeze to Sunny Pixie. The holy light of protection requires a blade! With eternal life now comes the time to protect that! Synchro Summon! Protector of life, Ancient Holy Wyvern!"

"Another summon?" Brook exclaimed as another slender white dragon arrived next to Ancient Fairy Dragon, this one lacking front legs and rearing its head back in a serpentine manner."

"When my life is more than my opponent, Ancient Holy Wyvern gains power equal to the difference," the real Ancient Fairy chuckled. "Of course, when my life is lower, it also loses power equal to the difference. But, now, mine is higher."

"She is so beautiful!" Brook sang.

"Shut up!" Nami wailed.

Robin stood back. "It seems I am right... she is named for the Aos Si rather than the tales spoken to children?"

"The Aos Si?" Crow asked.

"The evil fairies," Robin explained.

"Elves are wonderful; they provoke wonder." Ancient Fairy spoke with relish. "Elves are marvelous; they cause marvels. Elves are fantastic; they create fantasies. Elves are glamorous; they project glamour. Elves are enchanting; they weave enchantment. Elves are terrific; they beget terror."

Her eyes lidded over. "The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes, look behind words that have changed their meaning. No one ever said elves are **nice**. And no one ever said that fairies are _nice._ And especially dragons; dragons are often said to be monsters. A shame they don't seem to say the same for fairy dragons. **"**

"Hang on, she can't attack, right?" Nami nervously asked the very pale Blackbird.

"Ancient Fairy Dragon's ability, is that once a turn I can destroy a field magic," the dragon-turned-human smiled wanly. "The Ancient Forest counts as a field magic, and on top of that I gain one thousand of life."

"She can destroy the field at will, and hence choose when I attack and when she wants to guard," Crow calculated. "Crap...!"

"Yohohoho, I'd love to die under you, my lady..."

"Shut up, Brook!"

"It seems that our musician has fallen, Nami."

"So, the difference would be four thousand, and the base power of the Holy Wyvern being two thousand one hundred... it is more than enough to kill, I suppose I should hope that you survive, Crow Sama."

An elegant hand raised. "Plain Black!"

_Ancient Fairy Dragon vs Nami, Robin, Crow, and Brook._

* * *

On another island, right next to the Isle of Fairies and connected to the Isle by a bridge, Usopp, Chopper and Franky watched stunned as the monster unfolded and refolded themselves.

"So cool~!" al three yelled.

"You think?" the teal-headed boy in colourful armour grinned.

"Yeah, even though these Deformers are holding us down..." Franky drawled.

"And that we can't attack..." Usopp continued.

"And we are getting our asses kicked..." Chopper drooled.

"Transforming robots are so cool!" All three finished.

"Wait, hold on!" Usopp leapt to his feet, pointing an accusing finger at the boy. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the leader of these guys, Power Tool Dragon," the boy smirked. "The resolve of you guys... I don't like it. You want to see the docking, huh? Then, have a look!"

"Docking?" All three exclaimed.

"Deformer Remote Control, Deformer Radion, tuning!" the guy announced excitedly. "Docking strength with courage to protect world peace! Synchro Summon! Envoy of love and justice, Power Tool Dragon!"

"Uwaah..."

"Whaa..."

Franky was almost crying. "This sleek shine... this metal body... those tools attachments..."

"Power Tool Dragon!" All three yelled.

"Maa..." the boy sheepishly sighed. "It's only a little something..."

"So cool!" All three Straw Hats shouted.

"Yosh! We're friends because you praised me!" the boy grinned. "But, I can't hand over the shard Stardust told me to protect without a fight, you know?"

"Of course, it's just not done," Franky nodded. "How about a contest? We test your docking strength, against the docking strength of our Pirates Docking Three, and see who wins, right?"

"It's an honour!" Usopp and Chopper yelled together.

_Power Tool Dragon vs. Franky, Usopp and Chopper._

* * *

Within the burnt land that was Crimson Fire, five people grimly looked at the lone red-armoured figure they were to fight, surrounded by little grinning imps carrying hammers and tuning forks and many others.

"Ancient Fairy would taken you on one-on-one, she is fair like that," the figure rumbled, and none of them were fooled that he was human. "Power Tool is but a child until he really begins. And that, is where I differ from all of them." One fist glowed as he took a stance. "Prepare yourselves for a taste of my Absolute Powerforce!"

"I'll be excusing myself," Aki backed away. "Red Demon's Dragon..."

"Cool," Luffy prepared, grinning excitedly.

"I'll defeat him first," Sanji shifted his weight.

"I'll cut him first," Zoro hefted all three swords.

"I'll burn him first," Ace smirked.

"You're on!" Luffy yelled.

_Red Demon's Dragon vs Luffy, Ace, Zoro, Sanji, Aki._

* * *

By the base of the Dragon's Eye Mountain, Black Feather boredly swung a _bokken_ as she surveyed the hordes of monsters the clan stood against, all the military members of the Clan having assembled at her call.

"Black Feather Sama, we are ready," Elfen saluted.

"Black Feather Sama, Marine warship sighted!" Jet cawed from overhead.

"Oh?" Black Feather sighed in amusement. "Whatever, we have more pressing issues."

The bokken was raised high. "Men! It's war! In the name of Black Feather, show them the true strength of the Morrighan! Charge!"

The battle was on.

_Black Feather Clan vs Monster Army_


	8. VII: Ancient Leaf

**VII: Ancient Leaf**

Above the battlefield between the Black Feather Clan and those of the Clustering Stars Clan, as the followers of Stardust Dragon called themselves, a pink duckling ruffled its feathers uncomfortably as the battle raged on.

To the right of the Road Runner, Nitro Warrior was battling Lone Silver Wind, both equal in power at the moment. Drill Warrior had been taken out by the Black Feather number one's Perfect Storm earlier from the Warriors' assault on the Black Feather army, and now lay with the Heal Waver. Road Warrior was battling the Black Feather Armoured Wing, while Turbo Warrior covered him from the Black Feather Arms Wing, that pair which specialised in assaults like these under the direct command of Black Feather Dragon. Indeed, the boss of the clan herself was taking the field amongst a horde of assault Black Feathers, while the support Black Feathers tried to provide support for their boss. A flash of black, a wing of white, and those on the front were blown away only for the next wave to come. From the mountain itself, Turret Warrior built upon the willing sacrifice of its comrade Speed Warrior to take revolving shots, while the Junk Archer also defended the mountain stronghold from his vantage point over the battlefield.

"Junk Warrior isn't here, quack," the Winged Beast muttered to itself. "Hane doesn't like this..."

"Road Runner!" Black wings spread out, the only Light Attribute amongst the Black Feather swooped down, just hanging barely out of reach of the shooters' pot-shots in the skies. "Road Runner!"

"Aurora!" the duck quacked. "Why are we fighting? I don't know why!"

"Fudo Yusei is locked up in the mountain!" Aurora the Northern Lights squawked as she dodged guns from the ambitious Quickdraw Synchron a bit further away. "Ask your Stardust what she intends with him! Argh, Shield Wing!"

One of the few other Winged Beasts of the Clustering Stars, the green bird had also taken to the skies, narrowly missing the larger Black Feather as it flew, singing.

"What, quack?" Hane demanded. "I've been posted guard duty here, I don't know!"

"Six shards scattered, and one more to make it full circle!" Aurora bellowed, screeching as she was hit by an enterprising Rapid Warrior.

"What?" Hane screeched. "Where... why?"

"I don't know!" Aurora finally flew down, straight into the fray.

"Synchrons... I gotta find the Synchrons..." Red boots skidded on the floor as the duckling ran through the crystalline hallways of the Mountain. "Junk Synchron! Debris Dragon! Anyone!"

"Yes?" the pink duckling froze as that musical voice reached its ears.

"Stardust!" the duckling squawked. "Aurora said that you've got Yusei Dono somewhere in the Mountain and you're intending to... turn him... into..."

Blue eyes set into a strangely alien and beautiful face stared at it blankly. "Assuming that I do intend to, is there something wrong with that?"

The Road Runner spluttered. "But... Yusei Dono... Yusei Dono will-!"

"Look," white robes were pulled out of the way to reveal the peacefully sleeping man. "Road Runner, wouldn't you say that this is the first time we've seen him sleep so peacefully?"

"Yusei Dono!" the duckling squeaked. "But... Stardust, are you-!"

"This is the first time we've ever seen him sleep like this," Stardust echoed sadly.

"Yes..." the duckling hung its head. "But... the Black Feather Clan are fighting us! Why? Haven't we always been friends with them?"

"Haven't we fought them before?" Stardust questioned rhetorically. "It is a mere disagreement. Yusei... your nights would be spent amongst the stars soon enough, my own..."

"Stardust..." the Road Runner murmured sadly as it walked away, leaving the dragon-turned-human alone with its master. "No... Yusei Dono will... if he ever does this... no!"

Rubber squeaked along the floor as the Road Runner quickly ran out. "Junk Warrior! Junk Synchron!"

"Ah, Road Runner!" the orange-dressed tuner monster and the blue-armoured warrior wearing a white scarf waved. "We found a few humans around the archipelago, right now they're being held in the prison. Why were you looking for us?"

"Bad news!" the duckling spluttered. "Yusei Dono's trapped here and Stardust-!"

"Quiet! I know," the blue-armoured warrior quietly answered, a hand around the duckling's beak to shut it up. "Stardust... and my brothers... they all wish for it. But... we have to wait."

"Eh?" Road Runner gasped as he let go. "Why?"

"Right now, friends of Yusei Dono are searching for the shards amongst the Signer Dragons," Junk Warrior answered. "Bolt Hedgehog is waiting, Card Breaker and Mirror Ladybug are with us, but even with me leading, Stardust has the Rainbow Veil and Silver Wing equipped to her, not to mention the Arms' Aid. We have to wait for Yusei Dono's friends to retrieve the shards and then get them into the mountain."

"What?" Hane indignantly ruffled. "Why?"

"We're talking about a few low-levels against almost the majority of the Clustering Stars," Junk Synchron reasonably pointed out. "Even Formula Synchron..."

"Formula Synchron..." Hane gave a horrified gasp. "That...!"

"We have to believe in Yusei Dono's comrades," Junk Synchron quietly murmured. "Just like how Yusei Dono himself would believe in them."

* * *

"Brook!" Nami called as the musician was tangled in vines sprouting from a plant-pot.

"Oh, it's nothing," the smiling Ancient Fairy Dragon dismissively answered, despite her minor scuffs. "I merely used a Rafflesia Seduction on him. He's my knight now, is he not?"

"I will fulfil your wish, my lady!" the afro skeleton saluted.

Nami twitched. "Brook, this is not the time!"

"Stupid skeleton, come back!" Crow yelled. "it took us this long to get rid of the forest, dammit!"

"No, Brook's not himself," Robin noted. "Brook's strange actions, the fact that he never asked to glimpse at her panties, never mind her control... it reminds me of those caught under the spell of the _leanan sidhe_."

"The _leanan... sidhe?_ " Nami tried to echoed.

"The muse of musicians," Robin answered. "Those caught under her spell are cursed to be her lovers, leading brief but highly inspired lives, the lost life given in sustenance to the _leanan sidhe_. A most cruel way to live... indeed, a most cruel curse."

"So, Ancient Fairy Dragon has him under a spell?" Crow muttered, considering. "Well, then... oi, you."

"I have a name!" Nami yelled at him. "I'm Nami!"

Crow sighed tiredly, already glancing at the Black Whirlwind and the few traps he had played. "You can do that lightning thing that you tried to attack with, right?"

"Yes," Nami suspiciously answered. "Why?"

"Prepare one hit," Crow smirked at his reversed cards as overhead, Shura the Blue Flame flapped its wings. "I'm going to prepare an opportunity."

"Oh?" Ancient Fairy Dragon smiled as a Key Mace waltzed around her. "And, pray tell, what is this? Is this the bounds of your resolve?"

"Draw!" Crow announced, smirking. "Well, then, let's see how you play! I special summon Black Feather – Gale the Whirlwind! Then, I summon Black Feather – Fane the Steel Chain! Due to Black Whirlwind, I move Black Feather – Hillen the Tengu Wind to my hand!"

"What are you doing?" Ancient Fairy studied. "My Wyvern is stronger! Even _I_ am stronger!"

"Gale's effect is used, I halve Ancient Fairy Dragon's defence! Now, then, battle!" Crow ordered. "Shura the Blue Flame, destroy Key Mace!"

"Trap card, Dimension Wall!" Ancient Fairy Dragon called as the key-wielding tiny menace shattered. "You take the damage I would have!"

"Thank you!" Crow smirked, before wincing as he was hit. "Then, due to Shura, I summon the tuner monster, Black Feather – Vayu the Grand Flag in attack mode! Trap card, Urgent Tuning!"

"Level... five?" Ancient Fairy sceptically murmured. "There's no such Black Feather..."

"There _is!_ " Crow fisted the air. "This... this is my resolve to save Yusei! You're not going to stand in my way! Darkened gales, carry the pain that become the comet to shoot through the pitch-dark skies! Synchro Summon!"

Unperturbed, the tuner flew forward, turning into a single shining ring as Shura turned into glistening stars, and a bond began to form between the five stars that shone bright even in the sun.

Nami gasped. "This is..."

"A shining star...!" Ancient Fairy hissed.

"Shine in light!" Crow commanded of the white-armoured black-winged figure that descended upon the field. " _Black Feather – Gram the Shining Star!_ "

"A level five monster... you can't hope to win!" Ancient Fairy snarled. "My Ancient Holy Wyvern is far stronger than that!"

"The effect of Gram activates!" Crow snarled. "I special summon a level four or lower non-tuner Black Feather from my grave. I choose Gladius the Midnight Sun! Gram, attack Ancient Fairy Dragon! Shine Sword!"

"What?" the dragon-turned-human screeched as the blue dragon was covered in a swarm of black feathers and slashed, collapsing onto the ground in a heap of black feathers. "No! No! This..."

"You are Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Crow yelled as the feathers also consumed her. "Even if you're a Singer Dragon, even if you're Ruka's dragon...! I have to save Yusei!"

"No!" Ancient Fairy began to claw against the feathers. "No!"

"Ancient Fairy Sama!" Regulus roared.

"Today's forecast, is thunder!" Nami said as lightning sparked from the giant black cloud overhead. " _Sorcery Clima-Tact: Thunderbolt Tempo!_ " The thunderbolt hit the cowering Wyvern, already retreating as it too, shattered.

"Ancient Fairy Sama!" Regulus's roar echoed throughout the Ancient Forest as the white lion approached the dishevelled entity lying by the fallen Brook.

"I'm fine, Regulus," the voice was soft, polite, and ladylike. "What's wrong? It felt like I just woke up from a very long sleep..."

"Hah?" Crow's exclamation could be heard far across the clearing. "You almost kill us, and now you can't remember?"

"Eh? Where are we...?" Brook moaned until he caught sight of the dragon-turned-human. "Ah, my lady! May I see your panties?"

"Panties?" Ancient Fairy echoed, confused. "I don't wear them..."

" _How can a skeleton have a nosebleed?_ " Nami yelled as the skeleton musician fainted.

"You... do not remember?" Robin carefully questioned.

"No..." Ancient Fairy shook her head. "I only remember Stardust falling sick, then... I was here."

"Stardust Sama?" Regulus questioned. "She handed you a shard..."

"Ah?" the beautiful fairy pulled the glistening shard from her robes. "This... is crystallised memory..."

"That's Yusei's memory!" Crow reached out for it as a bright white light shone from within...

* * *

"Docking!" Usopp moaned.

"Docking!" Chopper gave a silly grin.

"Docking!" Franky grinned.

"Docking!" Power Tool yelled.

"DOCKING IS THE BEST!" they yelled together as the Deformers threw a party.

Power Tool collapsed back on the ground that made up the centre of the Deformer Map, grinning. "Man, you guys are fun! Too bad, I have to fight you guys."

"Why are you fighting us?" Usopp asked out of curiosity. "Aren't we friends of Yusei?"

"You are?" Power Tool sat up. "Stardust said that you were going to take him away, so she used a few shards as anchors or something like that... she's been strange..."

"This Stardust is strange?" Franky questioned.

"Stardust's always fun, but... recently, she's... a bit obsessed," Power Tool thoughtfully admitted. "She was always a mother hen over Fudo Yusei, but, recently it's been getting... weird. Like she wants to keep him here forever."

"Forever? Why?" Chopper stared.

"Because in Messiah Draconis, everything is peaceful, and the stars shine," Power Tool admitted, his eyes downcast. "I'd like Rua here, but not... forever. Mortals have to live their lives, right?"

"Mortals? Why are everyone calling us mortals?" Franky muttered. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Five thousand years."

"What, that's old!" Usopp yelled.

Power Tool Dragon leaned forward. "It's not proven, but, sometimes, I think that Stardust is even older. Why else would she keep sparkling when she's ageing?"

"She _sparkles_?" Usopp tried to imagine it and failed.

Power Tool sighed. "I'd like to give this to you guys as a sign of friendship, but... it has to be won in a contest."

"That's great!" Usopp grinned. "In that case...!"

* * *

Crimson Fire was often referred to by its alternate name, Crimson Hell Flare. It was an island of mostly scorched-red rock, with the occasional bush and cactus and more predators. The island had one overlord, and three bosses. Of the three bosses, Red Demon's Dragon was often acknowledged as the real boss of the island, and together they formed their own version of a Monster Trio.

Right now, the Straw Hats' own Monster Trio was hard-pressed against Red Demon's Dragon alone.

"Absolute Power Force!" the dragon-turned-human roared as armour clashed and his fist shattered the earth where Luffy would have stood. The three men of the Straw Hats assembled again, panting harshly.

"Even from the skies..." Sanji growled, his leg smoking with the Devil's Leg.

"Even with my blades..." Zoro mumbled around Wado Ichimonji, the other swords also out.

"Even with Haki..." Luffy glared.

"This guy is strong!" all three finished.

"Looks like only Ace figured it out," Sanji growled, watching the other D stand up again.

" _Even if I die... I'll take you down!_ " Ace roared as the enemy let loose a bellow that shook the island, flames licking around his right arm. " _Shinka: Shiranui!_ "

"Demon Meteor!" the other hit the fireball away with the palm of his hand. "I am Red Demon's Dragon, soul of the king with the undying spirit! _Can your soul burn hotter than mine?_ "

" _Bring it on!_ " Ace hollered back.

"Do they call this the battle of the hot-blooded...?" Luffy commented.

"No," Zoro answered. "If it was, then we'll be rushing in as well. But, how do we injure him at all... swords don't cut, legs don't hit, fists don't hit..."

"You're not fighting with spirit!" Ace bellowed as he and Red Demon skidded back. "To hit this sort of monster... you've got to prepare to fight even if you die!"

"Prepare to fight...?" Luffy echoed.

Sanji stared. "Even if..."

"...you die?" Zoro finished, smirking slightly. "Let's try this, then..."

"I have no interest in others, I prefer one-on-one," Red Demon scoffed. "Explode Wing Dragon! Crimson Blader!"

"Yes!" a large purple dragon and a warrior wielding two large broadswords, one in each hand, landed neatly before the Straw Hats.

"A swordsman?" Zoro grinned. "Perhaps you can relieve my boredom..."

"Then, I'll be the knight, and protect the lovely maiden Aki-sensei from the dragon~!" Sanji began waltzing around.

"Don't underestimate us!" the dragon roared.

"Oh, it talked!" all three men commented.

"The King's determination is conceived with a crimson blade ablaze fires of red! Appear from beyond the burning heat waves!" the warrior chanted. "I am the Crimson Blader, the only Warrior Synchro Monster to serve Jack Atlas! I cannot fail!"

Both swords were hefted, pointing at Zoro. "Come!"

"Interesting," Zoro hissed, grinning maniacally.

 _Zoro vs Crimson Blader_.

"The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of victory, shatter the very earth!" the dragon roared. "I am the Explode Wing Dragon! Come, foolish knight!"

"Heh. Shitty dragon bastard," Sanji scoffed, dropped his cigarette to glare at the dragon.

_Sanji vs Explode Wing Dragon._

" _Dai Enkai: Entei!_ " Ace hurled the huge fireball at him.

"The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here!" Red Demon roared. "Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon!"

"Boss!" the other two monsters roared as the fireball impacted.

Large black wings spread wide, the muscular dragon with horns like a ram's atop its head and a gaping jaw, its chest red and black streaked liberally almost like the devil incarnate itself. " _The king's soul, Red Demon's Dragon!_ "

"The true form..." Aki breathed.

"Look! This is my true form, the form of the king's soul!" the large red dragon roared. "Your fire, is a mere candle against the fires of hell! Blazing Crimson Hell Flare!"

"Ace!" Aki gasped as thorns and the Resonator monsters surrounded her as crimson flames washed over Ace. "You little-!"

"Ace!" Luffy gasped as the body flew into his midriff, both knocked over to slump on the ground.

"Damn!" Ace growled, ripping off the burnt shirt to reveal a back that once held the Jolly Roger of the Whitebeard Pirates, but was now scarred over with a large burn almost resembling a pair of outstretched wings. "Luffy, we're working together on that. Get up!"

"Uh!" Luffy grinned as he got to his feet and stood with his back towards Ace's own. "We'll show him... our burning soul!"

_Luffy and Ace vs Red Demon's Dragon._

"Luffy, Ace, Sanji San, Zoro San..." Aki murmured. "They're all fighting... for Yusei... I can't just sit either! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

"Mistress!" the black knight appeared in a flash of rose-petal cloak. "I will fight as your knight!"

"Finish them off!" Aki ordered, her long red hair flowing out behind her as she pointed an imperious finger at the nervous-looking Resonators. "My black knight, the Black Rose!"

_Aki vs Crimson Fire_

* * *

"This is...?" Nami whispered, horrified and mildly revolted. They were hovering over a long path, outlined like some giant bird with wings spread, and at one end of it, a overly muscled man standing at an altar was grinning down at the path.

"That's _huge!_ " Nami then pointed at the purple and black vaguely bird-like entity at one end behind the strange man. "What the hell is _that_?"

"Indeed," Beside them, Ancient Fairy murmured in reverence. "The turning of the tides, the end of the cycle... the end of destiny."

"Earthbound God..." Crow spoke in a hushed voice. "Earthbound God... Wiraqocha Rasca! Then, this is the three-on-one duel..."

"Earthbound God?" Robin echoed. "Interesting..."

"Yusei, Jack and I were duelling it," Crow pointed at the lone red D-Wheel on the path, two more figures having fallen off and left their D-Wheels behind. "The round one's Jack's Wheel of Fortune, and the Blackbird's mine. We were reduced to just one life point by Wiraqocha Rasca, and Yusei was the only one left fighting..."

"Why can't he just beat it?" Brook asked, pointing down. "Look, it says one attack point, right?"

"All Earthbound Gods have an effect, that they cannot be touched by spells or traps, that they cannot be chosen as an attack target, and they can attack directly," Crow ticked off. "That's why it's almost broken in a Riding Duel. If we remove the Field Spell then its effects are negated, but, in a Riding Duel, the Field Spell can't ever be removed."

"That's even bigger!" Brook shivered, pointed at the large, sludge-like figure in the distance. "My eyes would pop out, but I don't have eyes!"

"That's the King of the Underworld..." Crow recalled, glancing down. "This... Stardust over there... Yusei!"

"What happened?" the man was yelling. " _I am the Crimson Dragon's chosen one, aren't I?_ "

"No! It chose bonds!" Yusei's voice filtered through. "These bonds of ours are going to surpass destiny! It's my... _TURN_!"

"Yusei, beat him!" Nami yelled.

Somewhere down there, a light shone.

"When Stardust Dragon is on my field, it will special summon a Stardust Xiaolong in the grave!" Yusei's voice boomed. "Next, I summon _Messiah Draconis_ , Saviour Dragon!"

Stardust roared in answer.

"Our master," Ancient Fairy bowed her head.

"Tuning, level eight Stardust dragon, level one Stardust Xiaolong, level one Saviour Dragon!" Yusei ordered.

"Incredible..." Robin murmured.

"Awesome...!" Nami echoed.

"The shine of clustering stars will create a new miracle! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Saviour Star Dragon!"

"It's beautiful!" Brook screeched as the large white dragon confronted the sludge entity.

"Saviour Star's effect! It negates Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca!" Yusei shouted over the man's exclamation. "Next, I open my trap, Synchro Baton! For each Synchro Monster in my grave, it increases the attack power of a Synchro Monster on my field by six hundred! There are four! My friends' bonds are all rallied right here and now! Saviour Star Dragon's attack power increases by twenty-four hundred!"

The dragon roared, almost as if in answer.

"Saviour Star Dragon, attack Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca!" the Yusei called, unknowing of the pirates cheering him on. "Shooting Blaster Sonic!"

Cracks ran through, the memory shattering, and the four with Ancient Fairy Dragon found themselves in the clearing in the Ancient Forest once more, Nami clutching onto the glittering crystal of memory.

"That was... beautiful," Crow sniffed. "Yusei taking down that thing, most beautiful thing I've ever seen... no, Yusei versus Z-one was the best-!"

"We've got to recover his memories," Robin gently murmured. "It's best we gather to Starlight Road."

"I will come with you," Ancient Fairy stood. "Regulus, assemble the army. We might need to... persuade Stardust."

"As you wish, Ancient Fairy Sama!" the lion nodded. "You people, keep Ancient Fairy Sama safe."

"Of course!" Brook saluted with his top hat, offering an arm to the lady dragon. "Shall we?"

"He still hasn't changed..." Nami sighed.

"How is he even perverted to begin with...?" Crow muttered, sweat-dropping. "Well... to Starlight Road! Yusei, wait for us!"


	9. VIII: Power Break

**VIII: Power Break**

"It's a match!" Franky yelled.

"Bring it on!" Yellow armour clashed as the dragon-turned-human Power Tool yelled. "Which will be the winner... our Deformers Docking... or your Iron Pirate, Franky Shogun Docking?"

Indeed, the Sunny's Kurosai FR-U Unit IV and Brachio Tank V had been unrolled again, and now landed beside Franky, awaiting use.

"It's a contest of Docking!" Usopp and Chopper yelled, their eyes sparkling in excitement.

"As a code, the challenger goes first," Power Tool indicated to the grinning shipwright.

"For an so-called enemy you're pretty honest yourself," Franky grinned. "Kurosai FR-U Unit IV! Brachio Tank V! _Docking!_ "

There was some incredible folding of metal that completely defied modern physics and description, so let us just suffice with the idea that Franky modelled the tank onto himself before putting on the armour that was the behemoth of a bike.

" _Iron Pirate: Franky Shogun!_ " Franky posed. It looked like a giant Franky with a drill pompadour and the Straw Hat Jolly roger on its chest. A number on its collar showed it as the Battle Franky #38.

"So cool!" Chopper screamed.

"No matter how many times I see it it's cool!" Usopp joined in.

"Perfect ten!" the Deformers held up signs.

"For pirates, you're not too bad either," Power Tool smirked. "If we weren't supposed to fight, we'd be friends. What was Stardust thinking... it's our turn! Deformers assemble! Deformer Scopen, Deformer Slingshot, come!"

"Got it!" a giant microscope and a purple-slingshot appeared.

"Tuning!" the boy called. "Docking strength with courage to protect world peace! Synchro Summon! Envoy of love and justice, Power Tool Dragon!"

The yellow body gleamed as the robotic dragon swished a sleek chrome tail, its hands lifted as it made a posed with the buzz-saw and excavator spade on its claws.

"Cool..." Chopper cooed.

"Awesome..." Usopp gasped.

"Even though we've seen it before... it's still amazing, this Synchro Summon..." Franky muttered.

"Synchro Summon is when two or more monsters link their hearts together, and with that summon an even stronger power with their souls!" Power Tool declared. "Even though as machines we technically are soulless, we have hearts and spirit!"

"So touching!" all three pirates yelled.

"So, why are you guys keeping Yusei?" Franky drawled once he had wiped away a few tears. "If you're _nakama_..."

"I don't know about Fudo Yusei," Power Tool sighed, as his namesake settled as well beside him. "Stardust always had that guy covered, and she always thought about him... it means that Fudo Yusei is in danger. Even more danger..."

"Danger?" Usopp asked.

"We're pirates, of course we live in danger," Franky drawled. "This Stardust... why would she want to kill him?"

"Ah... you're new, of course you wouldn't know." Power Tool nodded. "You know the rumours of Messiah Draconis, that this archipelago is a place that isn't of this world?"

"Uh huh," Usopp nodded.

"Messiah Draconis is a part of a world that touches all worlds," Power Tool elaborated. "If a person dies in their world, the usual belief is that they are reborn in another world. That's the cycle of change. However... if a person from a mortal world comes here, and dies here, essentially they become bound to this place. They cannot ever leave the archipelago, or the world we call the Shadow Realm, but in exchange they gain a state where they're completely spirit, a state of eternal existence."

"So... people who die here become immortal?" Chopper exclaimed. "That's wonderful! Is that medically proven?"

"You could think of it like that..." Power Tool drifted. "But... the whole point of life is the anticipation of the end, isn't it?"

Speaking of such existential matters, Power Tool seemed far older than his looks indicated. "If you were just existing as you were, day in day out, without anything to risk your life for... without any incentive... without any new knowledge..."

"That would just be existence," Franky confirmed. "It'll probably be hellish."

"But, it's eternity," Power Tool considered. "I don't quite know what she's intending, but I think... Stardust is fulfilling her function."

"Function?" Franky echoed.

"The six of us, we represent a dream," Power Tool sighed. "Myself, I am a dream of childhood. My sister, Ancient Fairy Dragon, she is the dream of the sun and of a forest of light..."

Far away, Ancient Fairy Dragon was flying low, with four people on her back.

"Black Feather, she is the dream of flight and freedom..."

By the valley leading to the Dragon's Eye Mountain, Black Feather and Stardust faced off at the head of their respective armies.

"Black Rose Dragon is the dream of the destruction, the ill omen..."

The knight, Black Rose, fought valiantly against the rest of the Crimson Fire clan, as his mistress, despite her bruises, continuing issuing orders to the brambles surrounding her.

"Red Demon's Dragon, is the wish of the ambitious to conquer..."

Ace and Luffy double-teamed against the resilient dragon-turned-human as a guttural roar was let loose to the skies, the other two Straw Hat fighters taking on the Explode Wing Dragon and Crimson Blader.

"Stardust Dragon..." his voice caught. "There comes a time, when there is only despair and darkness, in the inky blackness that no one can see a way out..."

"Despair so thick..." Chopper echoed.

"That no one can see through..." Usopp followed.

"What people dream of... the light in the darkness," Franky muttered. "The shooting star that grants wishes."

* * *

The battle of the valley was dwindling to a stalemate, the two dragons-turned-humans glaring at each other on their respective sides. Wings of black flecked with colours flapped behind Black Feather, metal clanged and parts clicked behind Stardust, and swords and shields and weapons and fists cracked on both sides. Tension mounted to unforeseen levels, and fighting seemed on the verge of breaking out.

"Black Feather," Stardust mildly asked. "Perhaps a reason for coming to my island with your forces would be forthcoming."

"You have to stop, Stardust," the dark-haired yellow-eyed woman pleaded. "You have to. Don't you see that you're depriving Yusei of his life? You, who take on such a completely human guise..."

"He will be alive," Stardust repeated. "We are doing this for his sake."

"Stardust!" Black feather snapped, the Warriors and the Black Feathers readying arms. "Do you really want to take him away like this? They're his friends! He treasures them!"

It was a while before Stardust whispered a reply. "...you're right."

"I am?" Black Feather echoed in surprise. "Er, yes, I am, but how?"

"Of course," Stardust snapped her fingers. "Warriors, Retreat, and prepare a feast. We must have a farewell party to make the transition less uncomfortable for our Yusei."

"Yes, Lady Stardust!" the Warriors saluted as they flew back to their stronghold.

"Stronghold Guardian, keep watch," Stardust informed the lone remaining guard. "Well, Black Feather? Remove yourself and my forces from my valley before I unleash my own power."

Black Feather twitched. "You think you can match me in brute power, Stardust?"

Stardust held up an arm wearing a familiar black armour. "With this, I _know_ I can."

"Lady Black Feather!" Lone Silver Wind intervened. "Perhaps...?"

"...sound the retreat." Black Feather ultimately decided as she turned back. "We reconvene at the Isle of Life. Stardust... what happened to you? Crow, please hurry..."

"My job," Stardust lightly answered as she sprouted her own wings. "My child. A lot of things."

The Stardust Phantom was awaiting her as the lady landed. "The talks went well, I trust?"

"Not a lot of talking," Stardust answered as she shrugged into the proffered coat. "But we understood each other. Apparently Black Rose is on the side of them."

"Two against four," Stardust Phantom sighed. "Ancient Fairy Dragon has been defeated, and it is likely that Power Tool Dragon shall follow. Against his opponents... they are like him."

"That is fine," Stardust answered as she paused by the side of the crystalline chamber, a long white finger running down Yusei's yellow marker. "As long as Red Demon keeps his word, and I hold both shards, they must come here. They have only until midnight. Time is not on their side this day, we need only buy time."

"As you say, my lady," the Phantom bowed as a long serpentine figure bounced in.

"He's not awake?" the blue Chinese dragon blinked large yellow eyes.

"He will take a little while, since he spent so many nights not sleeping," Stardust absently answered. "Stardust Xiaolong, where are Junk Synchron and Junk Warrior?"

"They went on patrol, right?" the dragon blinked.

"I see," Blue almost flickered to reptilian yellow as she glanced as the sleeping Yusei. "His friends are coming, see that they are welcomed properly, Xiaolong."

"His friends?" the dragon literally vibrated in excitement. "I'll do it!"

"We shall make a fine party... a farewell one," Stardust whimsically murmured. "The prisoners?"

"They are subdued, my lady, despite their threats of some government," the Phantom reported. "Possibly, their world is one ruled by a totalitarian authority."

"Wherever this government is, it is of little concern," Stardust yawned. "An interrogation is, however, in order. Lead me to them."

* * *

"The second stage of robots..." Power Tool narrowed his eyes.

"Ah," Franky agreed. "The showing off of weapons!"

"YAY!"

"Don't underestimate this Iron Pirate!" Franky posed. "Tasted my Franky Cannon!"

"That's you firing it!" all three yelled at him.

" _Franky Missile Launcher!_ "

"That's you!" Usopp slapped the air.

" _Franky... Flame-thrower!_ "

"That's you!" Chopper screeched.

"But it's cool!" Power Tool sparkled. "I admit defeat! So, the prize is... this!" He held out the crystal.

"You're honourable," Franky drawled as his hand closed over the now glowing shard...

* * *

"Descend now, my god, Earthbound God Uru!"

The ground literally shook as ghostly fires shot up to the skies and the skies rumbled in answer, Chopper and Usopp backing away as all three Straw Hats stared up at the giant silhouette.

" _WHAT IS THAT?_ " Chopper and Usopp screamed at the red and black monster that must be larger than even Oz.

"Don't screw around!" Franky yelled, spying Yusei standing across a man in black robes edged with red. "Oi, Yusei!"

"No!" Power Tool, standing beside Franky, shook his head. "This is... the memory of Fudo Yusei! This is his past!"

"His past?" Usopp screamed. "You mean he fought a giant monster like _that_ in his past?"

"Three times," Power Tool honestly answered.

"...Yusei!" Chopper began to cry. "You're awesome!"

"Yusei, hurry up an crush that Dark Signer!" a man wearing a white helmet to match his white suit, enveloped in a sphere of red light, hollered.

"Who's that?" Usopp hissed.

"That's Jack Atlas, another Signer like Fudo Yusei," Power Tool confirmed. "Holder of Burning Soul, he controls Red Demon's Dragon."

"Still, for Yusei to be this confident... he's awesome!" Chopper squealed as he watched Yusei duel.

"How are you going to crush my Earthbound God?" the opponent was cackling. "Its effect stands tall above anything else. Just like the ultimate energy, Momentum."

"An Earthbound God cannot be chosen as an attack target, neither can traps or spells hit it," Power Tool informed them. "That's why, to fight a enemy that you cannot hit, but can hit you, can you imagine that?"

"Yeah," Franky drawled, looking up at it. "That'd be really difficult."

"What are you talking about?" the Yusei they were looking at demanded.

"How amusing that the person duelling me in a vie for a five-millennia supremacy would be Dr Fudo's son," the other laughed.

"Dr Fudo?" Yusei demanded. "You know my old man?"

"'Know'? Seventeen years ago, I was in the Momentum Development Section, M.I.D.S, spearheaded by your father. As Dr Fudo's assistant, that is..."

"You were what?"

"And there was one more assistant – my younger brother, Rex Goodwin!" the man laughed. "Finally, I 'll tell you one more thing. It was later that Dr Fudo declared that development on Momentum be stopped. Momentum would often experience a negative rotation, which had the doctor worried that a serious incident could occur. But, the sponsors and Neo Domino City didn't stand for that and development was handed over to me instead. And then, Zero Reverse happened."

"No way..." Yusei realised. "You intentionally set off that explosion?"

"Who knows?" the other laughed.

"Evil man, be gone..." Usopp muttered.

"You... do know that he's gone, right?" Power Tool muttered.

"Shut up!" Chopper screamed as the spider behemoth reared its head.

"Earthbound God Uru can attack directly!" the opponent yelled. "This one attack, Yusei, will destroy you! Take this! Hell Thread!"

"Yusei!" Chopper screamed as the spider shot thread at Yusei.

"Trap card open, Iron Resolve!" the Duellist glowed red. "By halving my life points, this will reduce battle damage to zero and end the battle phase!"

Usopp instinctively ducked as the spider thread reflected off and nearly hit him. "That... was close..."

"That attack was close..." Franky studied. "Yusei would really have been dead..."

"Worse," Power Tool whispered. "Those who lose against a Dark Signer... will disappear."

"EEEEE!" Chopper screamed.

"That Earthbound God is the most evil thing I know," Power Tool indicated the fenced-off area. "Anyone who stepped into this area, without the protection of a Signer or Dark Signer... their souls would be offered as sacrifices for the Earthbound Gods. When an Earthbound God is summoned, an equal sacrifice is provided."

"Are you serious?" Usopp shivered, looking as Yusei began to yell out at a woman up on the roof of a tall building. "I'm glad that I wasn't around..."

"Oi, that's dangerous!" Franky leapt up to catch the falling lady Martha but the body passed through him.

"This is Yusei's memory," Power Tool whispered, the Straw Hats aghast as they watched her dissolve into pink light. "She... would become a sacrifice..."

"M- _MARTHA!"_ Yusei screamed, despair clearly evident.

"Yusei, hurry up and get rid of that Earthbound God!" Jack hollered from the sidelines.

"To see someone disappear like that..." Franky muttered as he landed, now staring at the duel and the despondent Yusei. "Yusei..."

Chopper sniffed. "Poor Yusei..."

Usopp sniffed as well. "There will always be farewells, but... Yusei, dammit!"

"Yusei, we're fine!" a masculine voice barked from the roof. "So hurry up and win the duel already!"

Yusei held his head high. "I'm counting on you, Ushio!"

The opponent laughed. "How unexpectedly delightful!"

"Unforgivable..." Yusei growled. "I will never forgive you! My turn!"

"Go, Yusei!" Chopper screamed. "Although I don't know what's going on, go!"

"Go, Yusei!" Franky cried.

The Yusei before them drew a card. "I summon Junk Synchron! With Junk Synchron successfully summoned, I summon the One Shot Booster in my graveyard! Level five Turret Warrior, and level three Junk Synchron, Tuning!"

"Yusei's gonna do it!" Usopp celebrated.

"Clustering wishes will form a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"

"Stardust... why did Stardust go bad...?" Chopper stared as the dragon spread its wings with an echoing roar.

"Uru's attack power is three thousand, that pathetic attack power isn't enough!" the opponent laughed.

"The wishes of Martha... my friends... they're all hanging in this duel! I swear I'll defeat you!" Yusei hollered. "Attack, Stardust Dragon!"

"Go!" Franky yelled as Stardust dived, dodging the blasts of thread to pass through the spider.

"When you say your Earthbound God has the strongest of all monster effects... that effect will negate the opponent's magic and traps and prevent it from being an attack target!" Yusei called.

"Damn you...!" the other growled.

"If it can't be targeted with an attack, the only target left would be you yourself!" Yusei pointed.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Chopper screamed.

"Reverberate! Shooting Sonic!"

Everything went white again as the three Straw Hats sat down, having reappeared on the place called the Isle of Life.

"I'm still shivering," Usopp whispered.

"Yusei is awesome..." Chopper squeaked.

"Who knew..." Franky sighed. "That... our Yusei has been through so much..."

* * *

"What?" Astride the Ancient Fairy Dragon, Nami gasped. "The spell has a time limit?"

"Yes," Large wings spread, the blue dragon floated towards the high mountain. "At midnight, the shards that compose the memory of Yusei Fudo will remain permanently separated, so there is no way to put them back together whole... and Fudo Yusei will essentially..."

"That sounds scary!" Brook shivered. "My skin is shivering, although I have no skin!"

"We can't let Yusei forget!" Crow snapped. "Ancient Fairy!"

"We now have three shards," Robin counted. "If these shards are Yusei's memory, then... Luffy must get one, Franky must get another, that would be five..."

"Stardust has two with her, so seven in total," Ancient Fairy finished as she flew. "While we wait, we must find a way in... Stardust would never allow us to willingly approach Yusei with those shards."

"Yusei..." Nami murmured. "If only we knew... Yusei..."

* * *

Luffy coughed as he impacted on the volcanic rock that composed a large portion of Crimson Fire. "Bastard..."

Puffs of black dust saturated the air as Ace joined him soon enough, the Fire Fist bleeding though flames flickered from his wounds. "Yeah... but, he..."

"I know..." Luffy panted. "He's... strong!"

"I haven't even revealed my true power," the dragon-turned-human Red Demon's Dragon got into a stance. "To strike you down is akin to striking flies, not worth my time. Despite so, I have to keep you back."

He indicated the other Straw Hats fighting. "It seems like your men are having a hard time."

"Damn... this dragon's hide is too thick," Sanji growled as the Diable Jambe slammed into Explode Wing Dragon. "It can't burn him..."

"So you think..." Zoro growled as he blocked the blades of the Crimson Blader. "What skill, what strength... my boredom is effectively killed...!"

Ace gave a choking laugh. "If you have time to study other people while we're fighting, then it's obvious, that we need to put in more effort. Luffy!"

"Yeah!" Luffy bit his thumb. " _Gear Third: Hone Fuusen!_ "

"GO!" Ace ordered as he rode the giant rubber fist towards Red Demon.

"That's... useless!" Red Demon stopped the fist, but couldn't stop Ace snaking forward to close his hands around the shard and jumping back.

"I'm a pirate!" Ace threw the shard to Luffy, who caught it. "Luffy, get that to Yusei!"

"A- Ace!" Luffy began.

"To this bastard, since I've entered the New World..." ace cracked his flaming knuckles, which began to burn fiercely, orange bleeding into something... clearer...crimson... "This power, gotten from beating those monsters for two years, at great personal risk to safety and dignity... this power, gotten from facing those damn demons day in and day out... This is the fruit of two years monster hunting!"

"Before the power of my master... you are nothing!" Red Demon's Dragon bellowed, red flames spewing from the ground as he transformed into the giant true form of the Red Dragon. "Behold the creation-shaking power!"

"You won't shake me!" Ace hollered as he burned, clear red flames visible around him. "Even if I die... I will beat you! These flames... _Dies Irae!_ "


	10. IX: Scarlet Security

“So, Black Feather is actually the third strongest?” Nami was asking as Ancient Fairy Dragon took them to the skies on its back. “Then, Stardust is...”

 

“The one with the most potential,” Ancient Fairy acknowledged as her large butterfly wings beat on air. “Stardust Dragon... was the one closest to the Dragon Star. Looking at her, flying in the air, scattering light and bringing the promise of salvation...”

 

“Ah,” Robin agreed. “Stardust... is a wonderful sight.”

 

“However, Stardust held a great darkness in her heart as well,” Ancient Fairy continued. “This darkness... it threatens to consume us sometimes, but... no one ever thought that Stardust would act on it. We called it the curse of the stars...”

 

“Curse?” Brook shivered.

 

“What curse?” Crow asked.

 

“That is... Stardust would be able to grant any other wishes,” Ancient Fairy demurred. “However, it would never be able to grant the wishes of its wielder. Its wielder is doomed to die alone, isolated, and face the darkness without any other help... that is the curse of the stars, the curse of Stardust's masters. They will flicker and shine in the skies brightly, but, come their time quickly, they will fade.”

 

“Fade...” Crow echoed, stumped. “Yusei will... fade...”

 

“That's impossible!” Nami disagreed fiercely. “Yusei's so... grounded and sensible...”

 

“And he will put his life on the line to protect his _nakama_ ,” Robin agreed. “But... he has no Devil Fruit, and despite his monsters, he gets hurt... it is so easy to forget that the Grand Line is a cruel place.”

 

Brook lowered his head. “Ancient Fairy Sama... how long can dragons live?”

 

“I don't know,” the blue dragon answered quietly as they swooped closer to the Isle of Life. “Perhaps... forever. Why?”

 

“I was thinking,” the musician answered. “Perhaps...”

 

* * *

 

Roronoa Zoro stood, bleeding and injured and still holding all three katana in his unique stance. “Che, you're pretty good,” he spoke around Wado Ichimonji.

 

“You're the same,” the Crimson Blader held up his swords. “But, the likes of you are doomed to fail all the same. It is a valiant effort; I don't think I've faced such a fight since Gilford the Legend.”

 

“Sorry, but I can't afford to lose just yet,” Zoro grimaced. “Kiki: Kyuutouryuu!”

 

Some aura shimmered around him as Zoro's face and arms split into three, each bearing a sword to give a total of nine swords.

 

“Asura!”

 

Sanji back-flipped away, to look as Zoro began fighting in earnest. “Oh? He's already fighting seriously...”

 

“Is this really the time to pay attention to other people?” the purple dragon growled. “You're already suffering from my burns and you look away?”

 

Sanji airily pulled a cigarette from his pack. “You see, shitty dragon, if he's taking this seriously... I'm going to as well.”

 

The dragon had no time to react as a flaming foot crashed into its maw, sending him back to crash into the side of the volcano.

 

Sanji blew out a plume of smoke. “Happy dreams... shitty bastard.”

 

“Oh? You're done?” Zoro drawled as he walked over, back to normal. Some distance away, the Crimson Blader lay, stunned and unmoving. “That's slow.”

 

“I don't want to hear that from you,” Sanji retorted. “Now, time for the other shitty dragon.”

 

A wheezing sound started as the Crimson Blader struggled on the ground. “You guys... against Red Demon's Dragon? Hahaha... what a joke!”

 

“Guys!' Luffy ran over, a single crystal shard glimmering in his hand. “Get this to Yusei! I'm gonna help Ace with the dragon!”

 

“Huh?” Zoro drawled. “Why do we-?”

 

“Yusei's only got till midnight!” Luffy screamed, clearly desperate. “Sanji, go! Zoro, make sure Sanji get there! Yusei... Yusei needs us!”

 

“After this great fight... there'll be more opponents!” the Crimson Blader cackled. “The Warriors... The Warriors of the Clustering Stars are some of the strongest opponents we face!”

 

“Really?” Zoro grinned maniacally. “I haven't had such a good fight in a long time... there are stronger people... I wanna fight them.”

 

“Stop that thought!” Sanji snarled as he took the shard. “Luffy, you deal with shitty dragon number two. We'll go for the mountain. Got it?”

 

“Yosh!” Luffy grinned as he turned to the large dragon battling the conflagration of flames that was Ace personified. “Ace! I'm gonna help you right now!”

 

* * *

 

Izayoi Aki panted as she handled wave after wave of the Resonators, finally stopping when the last Resonator was gone.

 

“Mistress?” the knight that was Black Rose Dragon asked, pausing in his relentless assault.

 

“I'm fine, Black Rose,” she shook her head. “This...”

 

“Aki-sensei~!” Sanji spiralled over, kicking the tiny fiends out of the way. “Luffy stole the shard! Let's go!”

 

“They did?” Aki smiled wearily. “Black Rose?”

 

“I can fly the three of you there, Mistress,” the dragon nodded as it changed into its true form.

 

“Good,” Zoro said as he walked up. “Thanks.”

 

Red florid wings spread wide, the Black Rose Dragon took to the skies.

 

* * *

 

In its true form, the Red Demon's Dragon's fists hit fire again and again, batting away the little hot-head who dared challenge it.

 

“ _Dies Irae_...” it mused as Ace hit him, burning red flames scoring the armoured scaled skin. “Day of Wrath?”

 

“Yeah,” Orange flames gave way to red as Ace grinned at the dragon. “As to how I got this power... it's a funny story...”

 

A booted foot crashed down on the red dragon's head, sending him crashing into the ash-crusted ground.

 

“One day, I was at an unidentified island,” Ace recalled, idly kicking the red dragon with a flame-surrounded foot. “There was a large, dark dragon present... I just barely escaped it with my life. The same thing I met with other monsters we ran across in those two years...”

 

“Ace!” Luffy yelled as he ran over. “I'm coming!”

 

“For a long time, I couldn't figure out what was wrong,” Ace growled. “Haki worked only about half as effectively on them, normal flames couldn't hit them, and they could hit even me, who has a Logia power... one day, we were fighting another man who could control fire. Watching him fight... I realised. What I was lacking. True, fighting normal people needed nothing other than to move one's fists... but, fighting monsters like you...! It requires the whole soul in it! _Enkai: Entei!_ ”

 

The ground caught fire from the sheer intensity of the flames as Ace glared down at the bleeding dragon. “These flames fed by strong emotions to burn at the greatest intensity... these crimson flames... are the fiercest, hottest flames I can conjure without help. These flames... you're the first to see them. Congratulations... and stay down, worthy opponent.”

 

“Wha...?” the dragon growled as it crouched on all fours, ready to jump back, leathery wings spread as it eyed the flame-man taking a running jump. “This power...! Master...!”

 

Boots covered in red flames sent his head, and the rest of the dragon, crashing back into the ground with the sheer intensity of flame. “ _Sakamaku Hono: Tenpa Josai!_ ”

 

A clap sounded like thunder itself as rings of flames burned even ashes to dust. The orange hat perched jauntily over dark hair remained, the two medallions on it grinning and frowning as Ace turned to Luffy.

 

The older D held up a hand, grinning. “Oops. I took him out first.”

 

“Eh? No fair!” Luffy pouted.

 

“Damn brat...” Red Demon spoke, still on the ground. “Even if you overpower me in this form, don't think... that I'll lose that easily!”

 

“Whoa, he's still standing!” Luffy exclaimed as the man stood back up.

 

“Red Carpet!” a red carpet rolled out at two grinning black creatures holding tuning forks and hammers floated along to the red dragon. “If that was your strongest technique... then I'll show my own strongest technique as well. Double Tuning!”

 

“Double Tuning...?” both D brothers exclaimed as the grinning creatures clanged their forks together.

 

“The King and The Devil, here and now, shall become as one.” The dragon chanted, roaring to a crescendo. “A raging spirit! Lift up the very cries of creation itself!”

 

The ground shook as the red and black changed to completely red, runes and lines running through the dragon's very form itself as the armoured wings spread wide and it bared its maw at the two brothers. “Cosmic Synchro: Scar-Red Nova Dragon!”

 

“Cosmic Synchro...” Luffy echoed.

 

“Scar-Red Nova Dragon...” Ace agreed. “Double Tuning... wow.”

 

“Cool!” Luffy cheered. “I'm all pumped up! Ace, let's go!”

 

“Oi, Luffy, wait!” Ace yelled as Luffy charged, only for him to be slammed back down with a single flaming fist of the dragon.

 

“In this form, I cannot be destroyed by any ability, including flames,” the dragon roared. “Furthermore, for each tuner fallen, I take on their power and grow myself. I thank Izayoi Aki... for unwittingly enhancing my power... for my comrades Resonators, I will honour them.”

 

It roared to the skies. “This pride... it won't let me fall!”

 

* * *

 

The cup of coffee dropped to the ground, but Jack Atlas paid no heed to the fact that his precious Blue Eyes Mountain Coffee had been wasted, preoccupied with something else.

 

“Yusei is in danger,” the blond decided as he approached the Wheel of Fortune. “Hmm... where is the man?”

 

The D-Wheel started up, screens flashing with some red light.

 

“That'd work,” he nodded, as if his bike starting up made sense, perhaps in the head of Jack Atlas. The D-Wheel's engine roared as he drove down the road, accelerating until-

 

-There was a flash of red light, and Jack Atlas disappeared.

 

* * *

 

“To... friends!”Usopp yelled.

 

“To... new meetings!” Chopper happily echoed.

 

“To... this alliance!” Power Tool grinned.

 

“Kampai!” all three yelled.

 

“Oi! Are you forgetting something?” Franky hollered at them. “Anyway, shouldn't we get to Yusei?”

 

“Stardust wouldn't just let us walk into it,” Power Tool agreed. “That's why, I'm waiting for Ancient Fairy Dragon to come over. Then we can discuss what to do. Until then... party!”

 

“What party, idiot brother?” An armoured fist descended on the dragon turned human as a long serpentine body and butterfly wings fluttered down to the ground. “I'm so sorry for my brother's idiocy...”

 

“Don't worry,” Nami assured as she got off the Ancient Fairy Dragon. “Anyway, why did we stop here?”

 

The dragon looked amused. “Stardust Dragon would probably fight us. Even though we are both Signer Dragons, Stardust has more fighting experience than either of us. That's why I have to ask for help.”

 

“Eh? That's what I thought too!” Power Tool leapt to his feet, still nursing a bump. “I sent the Magnen Bar to tell you...”

 

“I didn't see him,” Ancient Fairy answered.

 

“Anyway, this means that we got more help, right?” Franky drawled, grinning.

 

“Of course, I will do everything in my power to assist your efforts,” Ancient Fairy nodded. “If only to uncover the truth behind Stardust's darkness.”

 

“There's one problem,” Crow pointed out. “We've got a huge cyborg and about nine people to bring to Starlight Road. How are we going to get there? Stardust would have guards over the place.”

 

“We cannot fly there,” Ancient Fairy nodded. “I would be shot down before we even approach there, and neither of us can carry... what's your name?”

 

“Yo, I'm Franky!” the pompadour cyborg grinned.

 

“We cannot carry Franky Sama,” Ancient Fairy concluded. “That means... Power Tool.”

 

“Yes, yes, I'm on it,” Power tool floated to the coast. “Damn whale! You owe me! I'm cashing it in!”

 

All the Straw Hats stared as from the waters rose some dark entity, the rims of cannons and barnacles shimmering on its back as it glared at the dragon-turned-human with beady lidded eyes.

 

Ancient Fairy held out a hand. “Meet, the Orca – Mega Fortress of Darkness.”

 

“Cool!” Usopp, Chopper, Brook and Franky exclaimed as one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 逆巻く炎 : 天破壌砕 : It basically involves a running jump, followed by a two-heeled drop-kick covered in flames intense enough to roast anything. No, Ace is not copying Sanji; the distinction between this and the Diable Jambe is that the flames ensure that the more obstacles encountered, the harder the impact once it crashes through. Yes, this is a Shakugan reference.


	11. X: Thorn of Malice

Vice Admiral Smoker was having a _really_ bad day.

 

It started with some unidentified island somewhere in the Grand Line following the idiot Straw Hat Pirates, tracking their ship through a freaking cyclone of all things, and finally being chased off by super-powered bird-humans who had things to nullify Devil Fruit powers. All in a day's work with the G5 fleet... or not really.

 

The coup de grace was finally, sailing off the accursed island populated by bird-humans, only to be caught _again_ and dragged, with the entire contingent, into prison. Attempts to bargain were met with blank incomprehension of the World Government's status, and then, of all things, the mistress of the island was coming to interrogate him, so the squeaking green messenger said. He could not even kick the thing; a good policy was not to shoot the messenger, after all.

 

Still, trussed up in chains, he entertained notions of, perhaps, pissing off their _gracious_ host that was currently descending to him.

 

“Cigar?” The woman held up his own case, and a lighter.

 

Oh, yes... most _gracious._ “Two.”

 

“So, an explanation of how a Marine warship crossed the boundaries between worlds to end up in this archipelago?” the beauty enquired as she lit the cigars and stuffed them carefully between his teeth.

 

“I already told your men,” he breathed through a load of nicotine-laced smoke. “We were following a bunch of pirates and we ended up here. The Grand Line dumped us here, and we were arrested and chased off by someone named Black Feather. If you'd just let me and my men go, I have no reason to remain.”

 

“Smoker San!” Captain Tashigi thrashed against her binds, right next to Smoker. “The Straw Hats are still around! We cannot give up!”

 

“Tashigi!” the vice-admiral's growl caused her to freeze. “Right now, we are outside of the World Government's jurisdiction. For all we know, this island could be friendly to pirates.”

 

“No, it's not,” she corrected gently. “This island is called Starlight Road, and I am the right-hand of its master. Do tell, about these pirates.”

 

“Their captain, Strawhat Luffy, is extremely dangerous!” Tashigi piped up before Smoker could say anything. “He leads a small but extremely powerful crew of eleven criminals throughout the Grand Line. They are pirates who do not discriminate! Your island is in danger from them!”

 

“And _how_ powerful are these people?” the woman openly wondered, and Smoker thought he saw sea-blue flicker to yellow for a moment. “They would not find this island easy to take.”

 

“He's a Devil Fruit- oh, right,” Tashigi faltered as she cast a look at the trussed-up Smoker. “Serving under him is another dangerous criminal, the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, who is a very strong swordsman. Another notable criminal is Nico Robin, the Devil Child. Then, there is the Black Rose Witch, Izayoi Aki, and the Shooting Star, Fudo Yusei, who can summon strange beasts. Izayoi Aki is called the Black Rose Witch because of her unique summoned monster, which is the form of a black dragon that resembles a blooming rose. Fudo Yusei, on the other hand... we don't know much about him.”

 

“We don't know much since he's only appeared around the Marineford War,” Smoker grumbled. “Under the nose of the entire Navy itself, he rescued a prisoner on death row, Portgas D. Ace... a miracle for a single pirate, even with help or not.”

 

“That is why, your island is in danger!” Tashigi interrupted. “His signature monster is a white dragon... a white drag... on...” her tone grew smaller. “A white... dragon...

 

“With wings like sails, and glitters like stardust, and a sign that salvation has come upon you,” the strange woman slyly finished, stroking the white leathery wings that sprouted from her back. “I seemed to have forgotten to introduce myself, Vice Admiral Smoker, Captain Tashigi.”

 

She bowed, a graceful and elegant and a gesture that somehow seemed alien. “I am the right-hand man of the island's master, Fudo Yusei, one of the five guardians of the archipelago of Messiah Draconis, Stardust Dragon. For your purposes, you may address me as Stardust.”

 

The embers dropped from the cigar onto his coat. “You're...” the Vice-Admiral choked. “You... the dragon...”

 

“Oh, yes, I am not human,” Stardust agreed. “This form is a mere convenience. Nice, isn't it?”

 

“A... dragon...” Tashigi faltered. “Dragon...”

 

“So, you're working for pirates, eh?” Smoker growled. “For the Shooting Star...”

 

“Normally, I’d send you on your merry way,” Stardust considered, looking at the silent Marines of G5. “But... you are men sworn to kill my beloved Yusei. That's why, we can't just let you go. So. Easily.”

 

“...you're a creepy lady...” Smoker muttered. “Well, you can't keep us here forever, right? Shooting Star is ranked as one of the most merciful pirates on the Grand Line, he won't tolerate holding us here indefinitely. Even if we're outside our jurisdiction now, sooner or later he's got to return to the Grand Line, where he'll be hunted.”

 

“Ah, yes,” Stardust snapped her fingers, her eyes taking on a faraway look. “That... if Yusei Dono can remain here forever, that would be great...”

 

“Dragon... why would you work for a pirate?” Tashigi yelled. “To follow a criminal's order-”

 

“You should watch your words, little missy,” Stardust hissed, her sharp fingernails latched onto the pink muscle between the Marine Captain's teeth. “Otherwise, you might bite your own tongue. Do you understand? Yusei Dono is not a criminal to us, though he may be to you. Our beloved Yusei Dono is the ruler of this island if he would ask for it. No... it would be more correct to say that your very lives hinges on his opinion. And once he remains here with us... he will decide the fate of your lives.”

 

“Oi!” Smoker growled as the tongue was tugged at. “Let go of her!”

 

“Little girls should watch, their, tongue,” Stardust simpered as she let go and spiralled back.

 

“Little girls? How old are you?” Smoker retorted.

 

“I can't remember... about five thousand years old?” she answered lightly as the dragon-turned-human sauntered out of the holding cells.

 

“... that's old...” Smoker could only agree.

 

“Smoker San!” Tashigi rebutted. “How... are we...”

 

“I don't know... and I don't feel like testing the theory that dragons eat humans,” the Vice Admiral quietly answered. “I can't break these chains. Tashigi?”

 

“They took my Shigure!” the Captain answered. “Men, can you...?”

 

“No, Captain Chan!”

 

“They took our weapons!”

 

“Are they going to... eat us?”

 

“I doubt it,” Smoker growled. “But... that dragon scares me...”

 

* * *

 

“Shift over, _marimo_!”

 

“Shut up, stupid cook!”

 

“Both of you...” Aki growled through gritted teeth. “Shut up or I’ll throw you down!”

 

Zoro and Sanji stared at her, mid-fight, then down at the glimpse of the sea between Black Rose Dragon's wings, and settled at last.

 

Aki sighed. “The shard?”

 

“It's safe, Aki-sensei!” Sanji saluted. “Hey... there's a black lump down there.”

 

He pointed down, to the seas.

 

* * *

 

“Sunny is on its way...” Franky considered. “No, nothing can compare to Sunny.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Usopp agreed. “But...”

 

“It's true...” Chopper sparkled.

 

“THIS IS SO COOL!” all three yelled as they beheld the sheer artillery onboard the Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness.

 

“STOP THAT, YOU GUYS!” Nami bellowed at them, sighing. “Man, can't they ever act mature for once...?”

 

Ancient Fairy smiled, seated cross-legged next to Robin. “Well, on voyages like these we really should have some music...”

 

“I'll do it!” Brook stood at attention, violin at the ready. “May I see your panties...?”

 

“You're scum!” Crow yelled at the afro skeleton.

 

“Scum!” Usopp echoed.

 

“No-good!” Chopper cried.

 

“Panties...?” the dragon-turned-human blinked. “Erm... what are those?” She pinched at the hem of her skirts. “I prefer a breeze...”

 

Brook and Franky proved that it was entirely possible for a skeleton and cyborg respectively to die of nosebleeds at once.

 

“Stop thinking like that!” Power Tool slapped at them.

 

“Franky! Brook!” Chopper wailed.

 

“Oi, you guys!” a voice called from above.

 

“Oh, Sanji! You guys!” Usopp waved as the Black Rose Dragon descended onto the giant whale sea fortress and the three dismounted. “Er, right, we're...”

 

Sanji was tuning out everything, his eyes having laid themselves upon the regal bearing of Ancient Fairy Dragon, and...

 

“Ah! Sanji!” Chopper yelled in shock. “He's gonna die! This is like Fishman Island all over again!”

 

“No...”

 

“No?” Chopper froze at the slack jaw the cook was beginning to develop.

 

“Shirahoshi Chan is beautiful... but... her beauty is not that of a fairy queen,” Sanji fell to one knee before the confused female dragon-turned-human. “My lady, words cannot express the regard I feel for you upon the first time my eyes laid upon you... there is no light that can compare to your beauty...”

 

“Sanji's shocked into being a gentleman...?” Usopp muttered to Chopper.

 

“Must be delayed-onset...” Chopper muttered back.

 

“This... is strange...” Nami murmured, also stunned.

 

“Stupid cook,” Zoro muttered. After a few moments of silence, Zoro turned to actually look at the cook.

 

“ _You idiot!_ ” He yelled.

 

The cook was currently digging at the top of the Orca, muttering about hungry Ancient Fairy Sama and how he was going to turn the entire Orca into a feast.

 

“Idiot!” Power Tool slapped the blond cook upside the head. “Get those thoughts out of your head!”

 

“Ancient Fairy Sama, you bless me just by giving your name..” the blond warbled.

 

Robin merely smiled as Ancient Fairy continued to look perplexed in some mysterious way that caused all functioning men to malfunction immediately, and Nami could only sigh in despair. “Yusei, you better appreciate all this effort...”

 

* * *

 

Up in the mountain stronghold, Stardust frowned as the face twitched under her administrations. “Someone must be talking about you... Yusei Dono...”

 

“...” the man remained unresponsive, as the monster expected.

 

“S- Stardust Sama...” what looked like a pink burner squinted. “T- The arrangement are done...”

 

“Ah, good,” the woman clapped as she gently moved from the unresponsive human. “Our Yusei Dono looks so peaceful, doesn't he?”

 

“The first time we've seen him so peaceful since his younger years,” the Nitro Synchron agreed nervously as the dragon-turned-human sauntered off. “Junk Synchron, you owe me so much...”

 

“I'll sponsor you when it comes the time for us to go to Toon World,” the orange-dressed tuner monster grumbled as he sneaked into the room. “That's why, help me wake Yusei Dono up!”

 

“I don't get it,” the pink tuner grumbled as he tugged as a gloved hand. “I mean, Yusei Dono is fine as he is, isn't he? Barring the dangers, and the people out to use him, and capture him, and... okay, I get it.”

 

“Even if it's dangerous, Stardust Sama must be getting old if she's planning on this...” Junk Synchron flipped over from his position under the bed. “For now, we need to find her shards and get them...”

 

“This... is the first time I’ve seen Yusei Dono so peaceful,” Nitro Synchron observed. “I don't get it... only Yusei Dono can look stressed in his sleep.”

 

“Must be inherited,” Junk Synchron searched the nearby dresser. “if I were something precious such as my master's memories, where would I put it...”

 

“With myself,” Nitro Synchron agreed.

 

There was a very long pause.

 

“Time to steal it,” Junk Synchron tiredly announced, dragging the protesting Nitro Synchron with him.

 

“Wait, I’m against violence...!” the tuner monster's pitiful yells only echoed slightly in the stronghold's hallways.

 

“That has nothing to do with this!”

 

Within the throne room, Stardust beheld the Stardust Phantom. “Ancient Fairy and Power Tool brought them here?” she repeated.

 

“Yes, Stardust Sama,” the Phantom bowed. “Shall I deploy forces?”

 

“No,” Stardust waved. “The Black Feathers are still out there. I will go myself.”

 

The Phantom started. “But-!”

 

“No worries,” the dragon-turned-human airily answered. “After all, it is only right for the monsters of a master to greet a master's friends...”


	12. XI: Crystal Promise

“This is strange,” Robin murmured as the giant whale approached the island surrounded by delicate wisps of sea mist. “We should've been noticed from the sea front... so...there are barely any guards.”

 

“Robin?” Nami stared at the other woman. “You're right...”

 

“We can never tell what Stardust in thinking,” Ancient Fairy shook her head, tresses of sea-green waving in the breeze. “She's brilliant but unpredictable. For all we know she has an army on land waiting to slaughter us.”

 

“Another one with the morbid mindset,” Usopp muttered.

 

“It's reality,” Ancient Fairy answered. “I have lived a long time.”

 

“Ancient Fairy, how old are you?” Nami asked out of curiosity.

 

She thought about it for a while. “In your human terms... about five thousand years.”

 

“ _FIVE THOUSAND YEARS?_ ” Nami squawked. “THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT ON AGEING GRACEFULLY! WHAT'S WITH THAT FACE!”

 

“I'm five thousand years old as well,” Power Tool gave a thumbs up.

 

Franky glanced down at him. “So... why do you look like a kid?”

 

“Because I'm too awesome to grow up!” the dragon-turned-human grinned.

 

“-.-...”

 

“Yohohoho, time has only enhanced your beauty, Ancient Fairy Sama,” Brook laughed.

 

“Thank you, Skull-san,” the green-haired woman smiled before turning a worried look at Starlight Road and the nearby Crimson Fire. “I wonder how are the rest...”

 

“Luffy will be fine with Ace,” Sanji drawled, aiming a kick at the snoozing Zoro. “Anyway, we should be more concerned with-”

 

Arrows shot through the skies to hit the water about them, the giant Orca beginning to squawk in alarm.

 

“-attacks,” Sanji finished, stubbing out a cigarette. “What should we do?”

 

“The Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness has a full defence system... but we need the bullets,” Power Tool shrugged. “Anyone got a fishing rod?”

 

“Ah, I do!” Usopp pulled a foldaway one from his bag, throwing the line into the water. “So... ah!”

 

Both dragons-turned-human stared at the swirly-headed fish.

 

“Wrong one,” Ancient Fairy sighed. “Look for one shaped like a torpedo.”

 

“Got it!” Usopp declared as the bullet-shaped grey fish flopped about on the deck.

 

“Yosh!” Power Tool scooped up the fish, loading it into a cannon. “The aim is Junk Archer! Go!”

 

There was a sound like a paper bag exploding, before the fish was shot out in an arc, over to the island where a loud explosion sounded at the same time the arrows stopped.

 

“OOOOOOWWWWWW!” a voice howled.

 

“So cool!” Usopp, Franky and Chopper yelped.

 

“Continue fishing!” Nami yelled at them as more attacks came. “Hurry up!”

 

* * *

 

In the hot, volcanic landscape of Crimson Fire, Luffy yelled as he charged, one fist slinging at the giant form of the large red dragon.

 

“Never thought I'd say this...” Ace panted as he drew himself up. “But, this guy...”

 

“Yes, I know...” Luffy panted, bruised and burnt in some places but otherwise in one piece. “This guy... is strong! More so than Rayleigh!”

 

“You know those tiny black guys around the Lady Signer just now?” the red dragon roared. “From the grave, their ghosts give me power. In exchange, I avenge their deaths... starting with you two.”

 

“I beat you once, I'll do it again!” Ace hollered back as scarlet flames swept the area around him.

 

“Dream on!” the dragon roared. “In our world, what you did then is what we call a monster effect. A monster effect that causes destruction. But, in this form, I cannot be destroyed by those effects! Bombs, or guns, or swords! With this absolute power-up from the fallen tuners... and this absolute protection... the both of you can surrender!”

 

“ _Waah!”_ Luffy yelped as he and Ace were blown back, only barely managing to remain standing.

 

“This guy... also controls flames...” Ace growled. “Haki... doesn't work...”

 

“The only thing that can stop me now...” the dragon laughed. “You don't have it!”

 

“I won't give up!” Ace hollered back, flames now rolling off his fists. “Stupid lizard, I'm gonna barbecue you! _Sakamaku Hono: Chuya no Okaji_!”

 

“I told you already...!” Red Nova Dragon slammed the older D into the mountain with the younger. “I won't lose to humans like this! I... this pride won't let me!”

 

“Your shitty pride's getting in the way!” Ace hollered, lifting the scaly fist off of him as a fire-lit hit impacted and the dragon keened before slacking its grip. “Luffy?”

 

“ _Armament: Hardening!_ ” Luffy head-butted the other fist, that one also slacking. “Get off!”

 

The dragon floated, considering both panting and worn brothers.

 

“Damn...” Luffy growled.

 

“This guy...” Ace growled.

 

It was right before both parties were to charge at each other, that eldritch red energy crackled and from the forming portal...

 

… a round, single-wheel motorcycle crash-landed into a parallel park across volcanic sand.

 

The white-suited rider dismounted, taking off his helmet to reveal sharp features, sharp blond hair in spikes, and a sharp expression on par with Zoro's more mulish face.

 

“Who's that?” Luffy commented.

 

The red dragon whimpered, to their very great surprise.

 

“Scar-Red Nova Dragon?” the man spoke, before turning back to them. “Who're they?”

 

“M- Master...” the dragon stuttered.

 

“ _Master?_ ” both brothers exclaimed.

 

“That guy...” Ace stared at the blond man.

 

“Master of that really tough guy...” Luffy pointed. “I wonder... so he's like Crow!”

 

“Crow?” the man repeated. “You know that guy?”

 

“Ah, we're friends of Yusei!” Luffy grinned. “You're Yusei's friend, right?”

 

“If it's Yusei... I can trust you,” the man shrugged. “Jack Atlas.”

 

“I'm Luffy, this is Ace,” Luffy grinned. “Your shitty dragon's helping the bad Stardust kill Yusei.”

 

The blond man looked really gobsmacked. “HUH?”

 

“I can explain!” the red dragon shivered as Jack turned a thunderous expression on it.

 

Jack's demand was plain and simple. “Now.”

 

* * *

 

“Made it...” Nami sighed as the rest of the Straw Hat crew touched land and the Orca began to sink back to the seas.

 

Usopp was still staring off into space. “I thought... we ere really going to die there...”

 

“Me too...” Chopper whimpered. “We really fished like crazy...”

 

“Anyway, where's the stronghold?” Crow groaned as he righted himself. “I don't see it.”

 

“Crow!” Black Feather called as she descended from the skies. “Well?”

 

“We got five shards,” Nami showed her the precious glass-like shards. “But... some of them acted strangely.”

 

“One of them was probably a flashback to the first Duel against Uru,” Crow elaborated.

 

“What you're holding are the precious memories of Fudo Yusei,” Black Feather sighed. “That's why, we have to piece together Yusei's heart before midnight.”

 

“So... this is Yusei's heart?' Nami was shocked as she cradled the shards in hand.

 

“This is the crystallisation of memories into its true shape,” Black Feather explained. “See, Fudo Yusei has a truly clear heart, for the shards of his memory to take such a form.”

 

“Pretty...” Chopper cooed.

 

“Indeed,” Robin nodded. “But, where is the stronghold?”

 

“There,” Black Feather pointed to the mountain.

 

Franky squinted. “I don't see any building.”

 

“It's in the mountain.”

 

“ _EEEHH?_ ” the more easily stunned members exclaimed.

 

“A mountain...” Zoro spoke out loud. “I wonder if I can cut through it.”

 

“No way!” Nami yelled at him.

 

“We have to plan this well,” Ancient Fairy Dragon murmured. “Otherwise... Starlight Road has one of the best fighting forces in Messiah Draconis... the Clustering Stars' own Warriors!”

 

“And welcome indeed,” blue cloak sweeping the ground as the magician landed lightly before them. “I am the Stardust Phantom, servant of Yusei Dono and Stardust Dragon. You may address me as Phantom for the purpose of convenience. We have prepared a reception for you.”

 

“A reception?” Aki sceptically murmured.

 

“Yes,” the Phantom nodded. “A reception for the friends of Yusei Dono, the Straw Hat crew, and Crow Hogan... we of the Clustering Stars welcome you.”

 

“Smells like a trap,” Zoro growled.

 

“How do we know that you're not lying?” Nami demanded.

 

“We have no reason to lie,” The Phantom bowed again. “You may follow me, or you may create your own entrance. Whichever suits you... I would recommend the first option.”

 

“Sounds good,” Robin smiled mysteriously.

 

“Robin!” Nami exclaimed.

 

“Think about it,” Robin shrugged. “We spent so much time tackling one of the self-acknowledged weakest dragon. Zoro, Sanji and Aki all looked worn from battling the second strongest. There is therefore a need to approach this carefully, isn't there? We may as well accept a direct invitation.”

 

Nami sagged. “Well...”

 

“Does Stardust give her word?” Black Feather interrupted.

 

“Yes, Lady Black Feather,” the servant nodded.

 

“Lady Black Feather, why ask something like that?” Sanji questioned.

 

“Because, as much as Stardust might be cruel, she keeps her word,” Black Feather shrugged. “If she is extending an invitation, she will give up safe passage.”

 

“Oh, that's so smart, Lady Black Feather!”

 

“Black Feather is right,” Ancient Fairy nodded.

 

“Stardust always serves a meal,” Power Tool sighed. “I'm hungry.”

 

“Are you Luffy, dammit?” Usopp yelled at him as they began to follow the monster.

 

“Why live inside the mountain?” Nami asked.

 

“There is a system of caves already present,” Stardust Phantom answered. “We merely moved in and reinforced the structure. It serves us well as a defence and a home.”

 

“Still, the entire mountain?” Nami murmured. “That's a lot...”

 

“Only about a tenth of it is being lived in,” the Phantom answered.

 

“A tenth?” Usopp moaned. “Then, what about the rest?”

 

“Storage,” Phantom answered.

 

“Storage?” Zoro echoed. “For what?”

 

“Stardust Dragon has lived for about five thousand years,” Ancient Fairy considered. “She must have hoarded a lot of treasure...”

 

Beli signs began flashing in Nami's eyes. “Treasure?”

 

“Oi!” Usopp yelled. “Don't place our lives at risk just to steal treasure! It was difficult enough at the last island with those two and their mecha contest already, and you'll kill us for treasure?”

 

“We're here,” Phantom signalled as they reached a mountain, a pair of heavyset double doors, hewn from rock itself set into the mountain. “Stardust Phantom is back!”

 

Slowly, ponderously, the doors swung open, to admit the sight of a woman's silhouette. Slowly, the evening sun peeked out from under dark clouds, to illuminate a woman's face, her complexion white, perhaps equal to snow or the stars itself, long blue-green-streaked locks plaited and her off-shoulder gown shimmering like the stars in the dark night skies itself, all in all a regal lady.

 

“B- B-” Sanji began to stutter as beside him, Zoro's eyes widened. “Beautiful...”

 

“T- That's...” Usopp's jaw hit the ground. “That's...”

 

“What a beautiful lady,” Robin commented. “She is almost equal to Ancient Fairy San.”

 

“My apologies for the late welcome,” her voice rang like crystals, echoing in the dark cave lit only by torches here and there. “I am Stardust Dragon. Please, everyone call me Stardust.”

 

“I don't believe it,” Crow gasped. “This... celestial beauty... is Stardust?”

 

“What's with this island and its load of beautiful ladies!” Nami complained. “Is there some kind of fountain of youth around or something?”

 

“There is,” Ancient Fairy answered.

 

“Really?” Sparkles came to Nami's eyes.

 

“Super...” Franky began to cry. “My life is complete now! I have seen it... the muse of art!”

 

“The muse of art!” Sanji fell to bended knee. “My lady, this humble prince, no, this poor knight falls before you with his heart aching in agony. He yearns, knowing that your beauty is far above any treasure he may offer!”

 

“You guys...” Zoro muttered. “Because you don't take things seriously you're forgetting-”

 

“Welcome,” Stardust smiled, and the whole cave seemed to light up with her smile like some enchantment within the hall itself, now lit by crystals gleaming with iridescent light reflected off the torches.

 

“My life is complete...” Brook went down on bended knee beside Sanji. “My lady... your beauty deserves a whole ode to it!”

 

“Stardust,” Aki echoed numbly. “Stardust... you are Stardust Dragon?”

 

Their host merely smiled enigmatically. “Shall we? Dinner has been served.”


	13. XII: Silver Wing

“This is the Dragon's Eye Mountain, my home for the past five thousand or so years,” Stardust murmured as she led the whole group along a splendid hallway lined with crystals. “Our home, perhaps, but I was here first. Stardust Phantom has been my faithful retainer these past millennia.”

 

“It's beautiful...” Nami murmured. “So graceful... but so cold...”

 

“This mountain is primarily inhabited by dragons,” Stardust continued as they passed through a large, vaulted ceiling hall, glistening blue and green and sparkling blue-white dragons flying through the air above. “Phantom should have said that only a tenth is occupied by the clan of the Clustering Stars. The blue ones are Sapphire Dragons, the green are Emerald Dragons, the white Diamond Dragons, and one of them should be Alexandrite Dragon. The scales they drop are actual jewels.”

 

“Really?” Nami squealed, her eyes sparkling.

 

“Your eyes are strange!” Usopp squawked.

 

“Technically, I own this mountain, but the dragons pay rent with their scales so we have many more monsters here despite that we only live in one tenth of the mountain.” Stardust shrugged as they entered an even more elaborate hall, this one a great hall complete with a table and chairs seemingly hewn from the rock itself, stretching the length of the table and groaning under it. Open arches led off to more corridors, a draught pouring in from the tunnels lit with torches and crystals. A crystal canopy hung overhead, the last rays of the dying sun shining through like in the hall of a ghost castle, a veil of starlight to drape over an otherwise bleak hall. Warriors in armour lined on either side of the hall as Stardust led them towards the set part of the table groaning with food. “We're here.”

 

“... I’m beginning to envy Yusei...” Usopp muttered.

 

“Me too...” Chopper muttered.

 

“This is our cook, Nitro Warrior,” Stardust pointed towards the green-armoured warrior. “Our swordsman, Junk Destroyer. Our sharpshooter, Junk Archer.”

 

“Ah, you shot at us!” Usopp exclaimed, pointing at the archer.

 

“We thought you were invaders like that ship with the foul-mouthed smoking officer,” the archer answered.

 

“Foul-mouthed smoking...” Zoro muttered.

 

“Our cavalry, Junk Berserker,” Stardust continued. “Our architect and builder team, Drill Warrior and Turbo Warrior. The field guard, Road Warrior.” She then frowned. “Odd... where is the captain of the guard?”

 

“Erm, Yusei's here, right?” Brook mused. “Yusei San?”

 

“Stardust, where's Yusei?” Crow demanded. “You have him, right?”

 

“That's right! Yusei!” Chopper exclaimed in panic.

 

“Oh, yes,” Stardust flippantly answered. “Yusei-sama will join us tonight, when he will remain forever.”

 

“Yusei's not your prisoner!” Crow bit back. “Give him back!”

 

“He's ours,” Stardust defended. “We have defended him for so long that it is only right that he remains. Away from age, sadness, death... we will give him the peace and permanent bonds he wishes for.”

 

“Don't screw with me!” Crow glared back. “Where's Yusei?”

 

“Within our sanctuary,” Stardust answered. “Shall we eat?”

 

“I've lost my appetite,” Sanji drawled as he lit a cigarette. “We'll eat after we get Yusei back, my lady.”

 

“For once, you're right,” Zoro smirked. “We've got to get ready for that idiotic two brothers anyway.”

 

“Hang on, Yusei's our handyman!” Nami protested. “He's coming with us!”

 

“Yusei is an important comrade as well,” Robin stood up.

 

Aki glared at Stardust. “How could you, Stardust?”

 

“What happened to you, Stardust?” Ancient Fairy enquired.

 

“And here you were the best of us,” Black Feather sighed.

 

“I'm siding with them!” Power Tool insisted.

 

“R- Release Yusei!” Usopp stuttered under the force of the dragon-turned-human's glare.

 

“If you would fight us for him, we will oblige,” she hissed as the warriors took up arms.

 

Clinks rang throughout as the overhead crystal canopy suddenly crashed in.

 

“Yahoo!” a familiar whoop sounded from the back of the red dragon.

 

“Never... again...”

 

“Enough!” a spiky-haired tall blond man in a white suit leapt down from the dragon's back. “Scar-Red Nova Dragon, land softer next time!”

 

“My apologies, Jack...” the dragon groaned.

 

“Jack!” Crow bellowed.

 

“Crow!” Jack yelled back. “Who are they?”

 

“No time to explain, but they're friends!” Crow answered. “Stardust Dragon's trying to keep Yusei!”

 

“You!” Stardust hissed as she pointed a long nail at Jack. “Jack Atlas, how dare you come here. Don't think I forgot the time you separated me from Yusei-sama!”

 

“Hmph, what about it?” Jack bellowed. “If you're trying to kill Yusei, then I'll do everything in my power to bring you down!”

 

“Oi, you're Stardust, right?” Luffy stood, pointing at her. “Return my nakama!”

 

“That's right,” Ace growled, standing up. “I got a feeling that I'm gonna enjoy-”

 

“Food!” Luffy was distracted.

 

“Really!” Ace too...

 

“ _Both of you, control yourselves!_ ” the rest of the motley crew sans Robin bellowed at them.

 

“Luffy!” Nami yelled. “No eating until we get back Yusei!”

 

“Got it!” Luffy grinned as he stared at Stardust. “You know... you don't look like that awesomely cool dragon. Gimme back Yusei!”

 

“You're hung up about that?” they all yelled at him.

 

“How dare you...” Blue was giving way to reptilian yellow in her eyes as she growled. “Yusei-sama was mine... ours...!”

 

“We will lay down our lives for Yusei-sama!”

 

“The Warriors?” Jack cursed as they all lined up, weapons drawn. “Damn... oi, Crow, you wanna bet that I can take them on single-handedly?”

 

“Just Duel!” Crow glared as he pulled his own DuelDisk. “Soar, Black Feather Dragon!”

 

Feathers fluttered as the dragon took flight in the cavernous hall. “We need someone to go find Yusei!”

 

“Leave it to me!” Nami yelled as she dragged Usopp, who dragged Brook along. “Luffy, Ace, Zoro, Sanji, everyone! Hold them off, we'll look for Yusei in the east!”

 

“I'll take the west!” “Me too!” Robin, Franky and Chopper ran for the other side.

 

“Looks like we're guarding both doors,” Aki noted as Duel Monsters poured in.

 

“Yusei better be found,” Jack boomed, glaring at all the Duel Monsters.

 

“Duel already, dammit!” Crow yelled at him.

 

Sanji and Zoro exchanged looks. “No wonder...” Zoro muttered.

 

“Yeah,” Sanji agreed. “Yusei's probably the only smart one around.”

 

“We heard that!” both of them yelled.

 

* * *

 

“Oi, Nami, don't run so fast-”

 

“We've only got till midnight!” Nami panted. “We've got to find Yusei!”

 

“Yeah, but then what if we-” Usopp stopped as an orange-clothed being floated before him. “AH! A ghost!”

 

“Ghost!” Brook echoed. “I'm scared of ghosts!”

 

“I'm Junk Synchron!” the being snapped. “You're friends of Yusei-dono, right?”

 

“Ah, right,” Nami answered. “Could you show us to the treasury? And then to Yusei?”

 

“Stop!” Usopp bellowed. “Yusei takes precedence!”

 

“Can't get into the treasury,” Junk Synchron answered. “Yaranzo and Man-Eating Treasure Chests abound. We'll be eaten alive before that.”

 

“M- Man-Eating Treasure Chests?” Usopp stuttered. “I have the 'I can't go into the treasury' disease...”

 

“Hurry up!” a pink burner appeared, floating beside Junk Synchron.

 

“Shut up, Nitro Synchron!” the other tuner bellowed. “Quillbolt!”

 

From the ground, a mass of bolts quivered. “Huh? Oh, Junk Synchron. He's inside.”

 

The door opened, and Nami gasped as the cold wave hit them, not from the cold but from the sight of the crystalline cocoon trapping Yusei.

 

“His soul's in the crystals,” Junk Synchron considered. “We have to break him out quickly!”

 

“What?” Nami swung her Clima-Tact at it, which resisted. “It won't work!”

 

“That's where I come in!” Usopp boasted. “Leave it to me!”

 

* * *

 

Franky shivered as he came to a hall of mirrors. “Creepy...”

 

“This Stardust must love sparkly things,” Robin commented as she passed a series of mirrors, her reflection distorted many times over in the surfaces.

 

“I think it's creepy,” Chopper commented as he poked his blue nose at one of the surfaces, the shadows behind it congealing...

 

...blue eyes glimmered back at him.

 

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! GHOST!”

 

Franky caught the shivering reindeer. “What? There's no such thing as ghosts.”

 

“Y- Yusei's a ghost and he's inside the mirror and he's dead!” Chopper yelped. “We're too late!”

 

Robin leaned over, getting a good look as the face of Fudo Yusei glimmered over the surface briefly, its lips moving soundlessly. “He's right.”

 

“Yusei!” Franky burst into tears.

 

“Be quiet!” Robin hissed, leaning closer. “He's trying to tell us something...”

 

_Robin San... help... help me..._


	14. XIII: Stardust Flash

“We don't have time!” the Junk Synchron bellowed. “That's why, both of you, stop dithering!”

 

“What's that supposed to mean?” Nami retaliated, pointing at the crystal dome. “You asked us first! Besides, how do we break that?”

 

“Still, why did that Stardust kidnap Yusei in the first place?” Usopp reasoned, poking at it.

 

“That...” the tiny monsters exchanged looks.

 

“It was a selfish wish,” Junk Synchron quietly confessed. “The reason behind Stardust Dragon's actions, the reasons why our Warriors fight to the bitter end, why Junk Warrior will not fight... that is because of our selfish wish.”

 

“Wish?” the pirates echoed.

 

“We were all cards strewn amidst rubbish dumps, thrown away and unwanted,” the hedgehog beside it muttered. “Imagine, one day, that someone came, and found you. They gave you a place in their deck, they used you to bring victory, that sort of absolute trust between Duellist and Duel Monster that was our first purpose of existence. For once, you felt that your existence meant something.”

 

“We monsters of Yusei-dono had friends for the first time, and the monotony of our existence was lit by the shooting star of his existence,” the Nitro Synchron took up. “You know... when you remain in one place for too long, and you like it, and we started wishing. 'How nice it would be if Yusei-dono was here' and such.”

 

“There's nothing bad about that sort of wish,” Usopp reasoned.

 

“No... humans cannot stay too long on Messiah Draconis,” Junk Synchron shook his head. “This archipelago of islands spans many different dimensions and worlds. Humans, mortals, cannot survive here for too long. The purpose of this ritual would have bound Yusei-dono to the islands, giving him a long, uninterrupted life with us. It was a selfish wish... Yusei-dono had a life outside of us. It would have been unfair for him to stay.”

 

Nami scratched the back of her head. “Well, it's not like I don't get what you were saying, but why is Stardust still fighting?”

 

“This truth has only been realised between Junk Warrior and I,” the orange-clothed monster answered. “Right now, our Captain is doing something, I don't know what he's trying. But, even if he does something, I don't know how is he going to fight this 'wish' of the whole clan.”

 

“Oi, Nami!” Usopp yelled. “We've got to free Yusei- Nami?”

 

The navigator was frozen, indecisive. “I- I can't, Usopp...”

 

“What are you saying?” Usopp demanded, banging the cocoon with the Black Kabuto. “Yusei's right on the other side!”

 

“Isn't it like us? Like we Straw Hat Pirates, dragged out to sea on the adventures of lifetimes... these monsters, these little people, they see Yusei as their comrade as well, don't they?” Nami protested. “We've felt like that before, before that person pulled us from the darkness. I'm sure, they feel the same way about Yusei, that they've finally met the sun.”

 

“We're pirates!” Usopp heatedly pointed. “Besides, this is like killing him, isn't it? Luffy's going to trash this place! We don't leave Yusei behind, because he's _nakama!_ Even these monsters know that, right? _Midori Boshi_!”

 

“Usopp!” Nami stared as the plant growth exploded.

 

“Yearning, wishing... that's why they called it a selfish wish!” Usopp repeated. “It's not meant to be! That's why we're here to free Yusei!”

 

“That... you're right,” Nami held up her Clima-Tact. “ _Thunderbolt Tempo!_ ”

 

* * *

 

“ _Burning Soul!_ ”

 

“ _Nova Burst!_ ”

 

“ _Black Rose Flare!_ ”

 

All three Duellists were panting from the sheer effort from handling the sole dragon. Beside Crow and Aki, Black Feather and Black Rose spread their wings, growling. Scar-Red Nova Dragon stood with Jack, the largest target to handle the Shooting Star Dragon that Stardust had transformed into.

 

There was virtually no comparison. Red crashed with white, both monsters pawing and clawing at each other. Scar-Red might be larger and stronger, but Shooting Star had speed and effects on her side. Both dragons relied on plainly slugging it out with virtually no contest from the other two dragons, as Shooting Star gave a tremendous roar.

 

“Why, Stardust?” the loud voice of Red Demon echoed.

 

“You don't need to know!” In a move worthy of some monster movies, the Shooting Star used its tail to whack him upside the head.

 

Jack just barely managed to dive out of the way. “The monster's really losing it... Shooting Star Dragon...”

 

“No shit,” Crow staggered to his feet.

 

The Monster Trio of the Straw Hats plus a few were also fighting, the result clear as a giant fist and a conflagration roared across.

 

“No good,” Sanji already had the Devil Leg out. “These guys can really fight in formation...”

 

“No fun,” Zoro dismissed as he blocked attacks with all three swords. “But, some can really slug it out one on one...”

 

“These guys are strong,” Luffy growled, readying a giant fist.

 

“Yeah,” Ace backed up against his brother. “But... they're all fighting with such strong determination... the determination to die if necessary. It's almost terrifying...”

 

“Why, Stardust?” Jack hollered. “Return our friend!”

 

“ _You have some nerve, Jack Atlas!_ ” the voice came out garbled by that Shooting Star was using a reptilian throat to talk, but the point was made. “ _To call our Yusei friend even after you took us from him!_ ”

 

“Are you still harping on about that?” Jack scowled. “I changed! He forgave me!”

 

“I _do not forgive_!”

 

Jack had to quickly dive from the Stardust Mirage heading for him. “Pretty vindictive, that dragon...”

 

“ _You left our Yusei alone,_ ” it continued, the garbled words dripping with malice. “ _Alone, in his beloved city. You used him, left him, and now he will be ours when he chooses to turn his back. You don't deserve him._ ”

 

Crow flinched as though physically struck. “We would have left sooner or later! Besides, we kept in touch! Yusei said so himself, he'd stay to improve our city!”

 

“Bastard!” Luffy jumped to face the resplendent white dragon as Ancient Fairy spread her wings wide and Power Tool Dragon defended the rest. “Yusei's not just yours! Return him!”

 

“ _No!_ ” the disjointed words echoed, shaking dust from the high ceiling. “ _For the wish of our clan, I will not! I cannot! We can't afford to lose the light of our lives!_ _We've been yearning in the darkness until he came! I will not go back! We will not go back to the darkness!_ _We will fulfil this wish!_ ”

 

_Wish... wish..._

 

“Wish...” Ace echoed. “A wish for... friends, comrades... peace...”

 

“ _Precisely,_ ” the dragon loomed, its wings spread as it hovered. “ _For that person who rescued all of us from the darkness of disuse, we will protect and serve far better than you ever will. We were granted unshakable faith in our abilities and unparalleled devotion._ _These cards... these clustering wishes gather faithfully to light the way for our wandering star._ ”

 

A reply was about to be formed as the mountain shook. Slowly, surely, the crystal walls began to crack, wailing with unheard-of agony as they shattered, the shards falling like a hail of soulless glittering.

 

“We got it!” Franky's bellow added to it as Chopper, he and Robin stampeded in, carrying with them a flat panel of some reflective thing.

 

“He's... heavy...!” Usopp and three others monsters ran in, a body clothed in a familiar blue jacket flung to land in the middle.

 

“ _Yusei!_ ” came the collective cry.

 

The white dragon began to scream as armed warriors gathered swords, shields, even bare knuckles and fire. “ _No!_ _We must fulfil this wish!_ ”

 

“Yusei!” Aki mouthed at the mirror, where the Yusei trapped within was pounding ineffectively at it.

 

“Looks like the soul is trapped within the mirror,” Robin commented. “And how to remove the thing would mean that we have to ask dear Stardust for it.”

 

“Yusei's... trapped in the mirror...” Crow muttered.

 

“Creepy,” Jack muttered.

 

“Oi, dragon!” Luffy demanded. “I got Yusei back, now tell me! Or I'll beat you up!”

 

“ _Our wish..._ ”

 

“ _Our purpose..._ ”

 

“Stardust,” a voice murmured as many turned to see Junk Warrior floating down, a device in hand. “Soul Transfer... I have it here. It's over.”

 

“ _No..._ ” even messed up, sadness was clearly apparent. “ _The star that grants all the clustered hopes that light the path of its arrival..._ _B_ _ut, I can never grant the wishes of my wielder._ _That Soul Transfer cannot work unless I say so, Junk Warrior. Captain of the Guard, you betrayed us..._ ”

 

“It is a selfish wish,” the Warrior stood unafraid. “Stardust, yearning is something that we must all learn. Disappointment is part of life. We cannot keep him down.”

 

“Thanks, cool guy!” Luffy bellowed. “Please, Stardust Dragon! You've always been protecting Yusei... you've always been trying to grant his wishes, but you can't! This wish that you want to grant, you can't! You can't lock him away forever! As a part of his heart, as Stardust Dragon... leave him to us! Please! We'll grant his wishes for you! We'll do what you can't! Trust us with him, we'll be there! That's why... Stardust... believe in it! The shooting star! Yusei!”


	15. Epilogue: Clustering Wishes

“Troublesome.”

 

Sanji and Crow were bonding over the shared troubles they had, i.e. dealing with the brusque alpha-male type. “Idiots.”

 

“You guys, shut up!” Nami bellowed. “Yusei, stay in bed! Stardust, hold him!”

 

From the midst of sneaking out of bed, Yusei froze as the woman dived at him. Loose robes complimented her figure and face, her blue hair rippling out in waves and her yellow eyes gleaming. “Yusei, you can't sneak out of bed just yet. He doctor diagnosed bed rest until tonight~”

 

“That's right, Yusei!” Chopper chirped, unaware that he was giving the dragon-turned human license to pamper the Duellist to death.

 

“I'm begging you, Stardust...”

 

“Stardust, don't suffocate him!” Aki called as the dragon-turned-human was in the midst of smothering the handyman.

 

“Jealous...” nearly all the men muttered.

 

“Oh, everyone!” Ancient Fairy smiled ash she arrived with food, supplies and a party in tow. “We just threw the Marine ship back into that world! They'll just be slightly lost, don't worry.”

 

“We're not worried...” Crow muttered.

 

“Oh, is Crow jealous?” Black Feather laughed, her robes rustling.

 

“Hmph,” Red Demon ignored most of the proceedings.

 

“So, a party!” Luffy spoke seriously. “For misunderstandings, for our new friends, and new nakama! Kampai!”

 

“Kampai!” they cried.

 

* * *

 

“So, you're staying, huh?” Jack crossed his arms. “Guess we'll have to tell the twins as well.”

 

“Give them my word,” Yusei nodded in answer. “Aki...”

 

“I'm staying with you,” Aki smiled. “After all, someone has to watch out for you.”

 

Jack and Crow snickered at his flustered expression.

 

“O- Oi!”

 

“It's time to go!” the calls from the crew echoed as Yusei looked at his friends.

 

“We'll meet each other again.”

 

“Of course!” Crow smirked.

 

“Yusei, you've got to come back someday so I can beat you!” Jack seriously said as he too waved as the Sunny set sail with a bang.

 

“You know, it's sad,” Crow commented as they two ex-Signers walked through to another world, wheeling their D-Wheels along. “All that time we spent charging the castle, and no one even quoted storming the castle at us. It's almost disappointing.”

 

There was laughter, and they were gone.

 

Mists shroud the archipelago on the Grand Line, and no one sees as later, the fog dies away and the islands no longer exist. It is a strange thing, the islands that straddle worlds. Now you see them... now, you do not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review! Thank you all for your support! Like this, the first spin-off arc of Huge Revolution has ended! Duel, Acceleration! I'm going to be the Pirate King!


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